


Ho’i Hou Ke Aloha

by SAga4000



Series: Ho'i Hou Ke Aloha [1]
Category: Moana (2016)
Genre: Eventual hookedwayfinder, F/M, Lilo and Stitch References, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-01-08 23:44:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 78,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12264492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SAga4000/pseuds/SAga4000
Summary: When a storm claimed the life of his wife, thirty-year-old Maui Tuputala is dealt a heavy blow while struggling with the loss of his wife, single parentship of their two young girls, and a custody battle between him and his former in-laws.Meanwhile, twenty-nine-year-old Moana Waialiki is forced to attain this case regardless of her close personal history with the family. With the threat of her possible old feelings rising back up, will she be able to take on the case and keep the relationship professional?  Or will this be another chance for the two walk through the journey of life together once again?





	1. Aia i ka mole kamalii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my fellow my readers!  
> Well... here it is, I gotta say this is the first time I've ever written anything like this before, so please go easy on me and be warned that the characters will be OOC, and sorry for any misinterpretations of the Hawaiian and Samoan culture within this fic! I've tried my best to keep the culture as accurate as possible, by researching through online materials, books, and videos. So, if you spot anything wrong, please let me know so that I may fix it.  
> Thank you!
> 
> On a side note, this story will be dealing with some current world issues, so for those of you who don't want to read what I'm about to write, please turn away now.

* * *

  _Aloha is a value,_

_one of_

_unconditional love._

_Aloha is the outpouring_

_and receiving of the spirit._

* * *

 

 

The mid-afternoon Thursday sun sparkled across the blue ocean located on the city of Honolulu in the island of O'ahu. The waves graced their presence on the sands of Secret Island as they gently spread across the shore.

Then the tranquillity was brought upon a short end by the soft pattering of a tanned skinned eight-year-old girl, with long dark wild curly hair dressed in a red swimsuit ran into the water holding two brown paper bags, followed a five-year-old girl with shoulder length dark wavy hair, dressed in a pink swimsuit with a white skirt.

The two girls continued running till they were neck deep in water before they finally dove into the familiar water and began swimming inside the safety of their beloved reef, amongst the schools of fish, turtles and spinner dolphins.

The older girl opened the first paper bag and passed the sandwich to the younger girl, who immediately began ripping the bread into finger sized pieces and proceeded to feed the schools of fish and dolphins that swam beside them.

The older girl just pulled out the second sandwich and kept her eye out for one specific fish. A few seconds later the older spotted it.

It was a Flame Angelfish with two black small star-shaped on each side of its body.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

At the same time that afternoon, the girl’s exhausted thirty-year-old father, a large bulky man with long wild curly hair and numerous tattoos, most of them depicting the well known legends of the demigod Maui from the far plains of Samoa all the way to New Zealand, climbed up the stairs that led up to his front porch, having just finished his per-morning hotel security shift.

 

**_THUMP… THUMP… THUMP._ **

He climbed up the last three steps to his house and saw a folded note taped on the front door, with his name ‘Maui’ written on it.

Maui ripped the note off from the door and unfolded it before he read its contents. The letter was filled with a small brief ‘report’ on the girls' activities earlier that morning before it ended with the reassurance that both his daughters were dropped off at the _Halau hula_ for their lessons.

He then wiped his eyes using the bottom corner of his hand, before he continued reading the letter.

_P.S,_

_Tala insisted that ‘she’ make you breakfast, so there’s coffee and eggs in the fridge for you to warm up._

_—Hiapo_.

A few seconds later he heard the sound of a paper falling to his feet, and looked down to see the fifteen dollars he’d left for the boy. Maui reached over and caught saw the small note under the money that read: _P.P.S, You and the girls are part of my ohana, so no payment needed._

Seeing those words put a smile on his face, but at the same time the pride nearly got into his head—who did this thirteen-year-old _kid_ think he was calling him poor—but then his logic and maturity kicked, and he reminded himself that he needed the money more that Hiapo for the time being.

He fumbled for the keys in his pocket, pulled it out and unlocked the front door. The door then slowly swung open and he stepped inside. Maui took off his jacket and hung it on the clothes rack before he started rubbing the sleep from his eyes with his thumb and index finger while lazily putting his keys in the key basket that sat on a small table in the main entrance.

His feet led him toward to the tempting, cozy-looking, old-fashioned sofa he’d purchased at some garage sale some months ago; and promptly plopped himself on the couch, laying flat on his stomach and burying his face against the sofa’s right semi-hard cushioned arm.

Loud, semi-muffled snores emitted from his sleeping figure seconds later as his body and mind caved into the sleep work had deprived him of this past week.

What felt like a minute passed when the sounds of his second hand Nokia 3310 started bellowing out, its buzzy, ear-piercing, ring from his left pocket.

An annoyed Maui slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He pressed the button to answer the call and held the device up to his ear. Maui then greeted his caller with frazzled irritation, “ ** _What?_** ”

“Chill _brah_ , it’s just me.” Hiapo replied from the other line, “Howzit, Maui?” Maui, knowing that he couldn’t fall asleep again, had gotten up from the couch, walked over to his kitchen and replied with a very sarcastic, “ _Manuia, fa’afetai_ , just dealing with a bunch of shark baits who had a little too much to drink—”

Hiapo then cut Maui off before he could begin his tirade “I’m calling to let you know that the social worker called this morning—”

Maui grabbed a cold soda and slammed the fridge door shut with his foot. “Yeah? What’d the social worker say?”

Hiapo then replied just as Maui had a mouthful sip of soda, “She’ll be there at three—”

Hearing this Maui spat out the soda from his mouth and wiped his lip with his sleeve, “What?” He exclaimed before he turned and looked at the digital clock. It read, 1:40 PM. “ _Oh no!_ ” Maui cried before he abruptly ended the call, tossed his phone and rushed out into the hall, heading to the supply closet.

 

His feet skidded against the wooden floorboards as he observed his cluttered living room before he turned to the clock and saw it was still blinking: 1:40 PM. He turned back to the room with one dreadful thought in his mind… he had one hour and twenty minutes to clean up the living room. Maui then slowly glanced back at the hallway and seeing the state it was in,  the horrible realization hit him like a ton of bricks… he had one hour and twenty minutes to clean up _the whole house_.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

The two girls had finally realized the time, and hurried out of the water, grabbed their bags and ran across the sand. The two made their way out of the beach. Suddenly one tourist came by, prompting the younger girl to stop and pull her camera from her duffle bag. She stood completely still, holding the camera in front of her before she stepped back and clicked. The camera flashed, imprinting the image in its film before the older girl grabbed her wrist and very comically pulled her away.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Meanwhile,

Hiapo stood backstage wearing his hula clothes, switching anxious glances between the front stage and the door as he waited anxiously for the two sisters to arrive… soon, _he hoped_.

Behind him stood a group of seven to eight-year-olds, eagerly watching—but none was more eager than the blonde haired, brown-eyed ringleader of the group. Her name was Allison Williams, a non-island native whose affluent family had moved here from Chicago.

Her framed fascinated eyes pinned themselves at him, while her mind wondered what was he waiting for? Part of her knew it _couldn’t_ be the two weirdo sisters. _It couldn’t be._

Five minutes passed, and when no signs of them came, Hiapo finally took a long deep breath and turned around when their _Kumu_ notice them all lingering backstage and urged to come forward _._

Hiapo reluctantly walked forward onto the stage and immediately got into position. Slowly the other junior dancers all came and danced behind, all of them perched the space between him and the senior dancers. But he kept an ear out for the sound of the door and was the only one who noticed it softly _,_ ** _creeeekkkk…_** A relieved smile sneaked up his lips when _Kumu_ wasn’t looking and he took a secret glance over his shoulder when he saw his two dripping wet first-cousins-once-removed hiding behind the senior dancers, waiting for their chance to jump in.

Hiapo then got down on his right knee and began his arm sharp and strong movements and sensing the girls behind him as he was about to do a _huli_ , quickly nudged his head forward pointedly. The older one grabbed her younger sister’s and the two girls immediately took their spots and began dancing, along Hiapo and the other girls.

By the time they finished, all the female dancers stood in their finished poses, all of them facing one side and while Hiapo was down one knee, with his arms and back positioned the same way as the girls.

 

“ _Ha’ina ho’i_ _!_ ** _”_** They all chanted as the dance ended, followed by Allison’s scream as she slipped on the edge of the puddle that formed behind her and grabbed her friend’s hand as she fell.

The older dancers immediately jumped back in shock and Hiapo quickly stood up in alarm.

“Stop, stop.” Their _Kumu_  ordered as he approached them all and turned to the older girl, sighing as he asked, “Hina, Tala, why are you both all wet?”

The older girl, Hina, stepped forward and let out a long defeated sigh, “It’s Mommy Thursday.”

 _Kumu_ looked down at her with pity and confusion. He got down on one knee and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he patiently asked, “What’s Mommy Thursday?”

Hina let out another sigh of defeat and explained, “Every Thursday, Mommy comes half way up toward shore as an Angelfish, so Tala and me go to the beach and feed her favorite food—”

Tala then cut in, bouncing with excitement as she asked their teacher, “Would you want to know what Mama’s favorite food is?”

Allison let out a loud and purposeful yawn while she deliberately patted her hand to her lips and stood there with her arms crossed over her chest as her posse came and joined in, standing behind her like lackeys with their hands on their hips.

“Go on,” _Kumu_ told her with encouraging tone in his voice.

Tala answered, “Peanut butter and honey! But… **_um_** —we couldn’t find any at—at home.”

Hina finally continued and said in a whiny voice, “And Dad left for work already—and when we were rushing out the door!” Hina immediately pointed to her thirteen-year-old first-cousin-once-removed, as if she were pinning all the blame on him, “I asked Hiapo if we could get some peanut butter on the way but he said just make a _tuna_ sandwich.” With a stomp of her foot, Hina exclaimed, “I can’t give Mom _, tuna!_ ” She put her hand on top of the other and leaned forward to her teacher as she asked her _Kumu_ in a low seemingly secretive whisper, “Do you know what tuna is?”

Their _Kumu_ drew back with a slight cringe, “ _Fish_?”

Exasperated and relieved that someone _finally_ understood, Hinatea rubbed her hands over her face, pulling it up and down and shouted, “It’s _fish!_ If my mom ate fish now then she’ll turn into a cannibal!” Now heated, Hina waved her hands left and right as she ranted and raved, “Tala and I were late ‘cause, Hiapo wouldn’t let us go to the store after he’d dropped us off—so we had to run, get peanut butter—because—because—” Much to the confusion of her classmates, Hiapo’s eye-rolling, and Tala’s innocent mimicry, Hinatea then started stomping her feet on the polished wooden floors as she finally exploded, “All we had is—is— _STINKING TUNA!_ ”

By this time, their _Kumu_ had his hands in front of her as she started heaving from her outburst, “Hinatea, Hinatea, _calm down_. Now, who told you that your mother’s…” He paused. _Reincarnated_ was the word that popped to mind, but given her age, he thought it best to use, “… been _turned_ into a fish?”

“Dad did!” Hina replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “Dad said Mom loved the sea _so much_ , that she told him one day she was going to come back as a fish and live in it!”

Tala chirped and said, “Yeah! And Daddy calls Mama ‘Angel,’ So… **_um_** … **_um_** … we saw an Angelfish and it knew was Mama!”

Their explanations resulted in a reaction of mixed emotions within the hula _halau._

 _Kumu_ stared at them sympathetically as did the senior dancers and musicians, Hiapo had his head turned and his right hand grasping his upper left arm for strength as well as composure, while Allison and her band of girls stared at the two sisters with narrowed eyes, full of judgment, as if they were the _strangest people_ on earth. Finally, Allison remarked pointedly at Hinatea and her little sister, while shaking her head in total disbelief, “You’re all _crazy_ …”

In that split second Hina suddenly pounced, knocking Allison to the floor as she began pounding her closed fists into the girl’s face. Chaos ensued and all the junior dancers fled. Hiapo and _Kumu_ sprung into action. Hiapo pulled Hinatea off Allison, and _Kumu_ ushered all the girls, including Tala _,_ behind him. While Hina struggled to break free from Hiapo’s hold.

Their exasperated _Kumu_ shouted, “Please! _Please!_ _Everybody calm down!_ ” He turned to the girls and whispered some calming words in Hawaiian before he turned to Hina with stern eyes as Hiapo was putting her down, “ _Hinatea._ ”

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I won’t do it again!” Hina replied loudly with her arms behind her back as she started swaying.

Close to his wit's end, _Kumu_ finally suggested, “Maybe I should call your father?”

“ _NO!_ You can't do that, _you can’t!_ I just wanna dance… I practiced.” She looked up at her _Kumu_ and repeated with a more pitiful tone her voice as he crouched down in front of her, “I just wanna dance _._ ”

Hiapo could’ve been offended by her finger pointing, and he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t irked to be labelled the pillar of excuses for her lack of responsibility, but she was just a little girl and she didn’t know any better… and she’d already gone through _so much_ over the past three months; so instead put his hand on her shoulder and turned to their teacher, “ _Kumu_ , I think you should give her another—”

Seeing their teacher was about to be swayed, Allison looked at her arm and saw teeth marks on it, “ ** _Ew_** … she bit me.” Her friends immediately expressed their own disgust, and the girl closest to her pushed her injured arm away.

 _Kumu_ rubbed the bridge of his nose while Hiapo sighed, groaned and wiped his hand over his face while his grip on Hina’s shoulder tightened slightly.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Hina sat outside, now wearing her light blue Finding Nemo print t-shirt and dark blue shorts and red sandals. Tala stayed with her, twirling around in her pink dress and purple sandals—but stopped when she saw her despondent sister staring at the porch’s floorboards, then she had an idea on how to cheer her big sister up, and Tala rushed over, taking her hand. “Dance with me!” She cried. Hina pulled her hand away from her little sister’s and turned away from her, sniffing when the front door burst opened and all the girls came rushing out, followed by their _Kumu_ who took slow steps toward the two sisters and knelt down beside them.

“I called your father.” He told them both, “And he wants you to wait out here on the porch.” He saw that Hina was withdrawing further into herself and said as an attempt to raise her spirits, “We’ll try again next week.” Before he got up and walked back into the _halau_ , passing Hiapo as he was heading out to check on the two.

Hiapo moved to one side, so _Kumu_ could get through and walked out to sit by the two. “Hey, how about I give your dad a call and let him know we’re getting some pizza?” He suggested, Hinatea simply took one quick silent sideways glance but then turned her head back away from him. He frowned and let out a long defeated sigh before he stood up and said, “I’ll see you both tonight.”

Tala jumped to her feet and shouted, “Bye!” As she waved her arm—watching as he left the _halau_ and headed down the road. She plopped down next to her sister and sat there, rocking herself as she started to hum the tunes to _aloha ‘oe._

Hina heard Allison and the other girls talking a few feet ahead of them, and quickly slung her back over her shoulder and climbed down the steps with Tala trailing behind her.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

“Does this look infected to you?” Allison asked as she inspected her wound with her group walking beside her, all of them holding a doll in their grasp.

“Yeah,” The third girl next to her replied.

“Hi,” Hinatea called out suddenly from behind, the girls let out a gasp and immediately spread out all around Allison.

“You better not have _rabies_.” Allison said with an accusing tone in her voice as one of her friends, a seven-year-old girl, with lightly tanned skin, brown hair and light brown eyes, clearly of Hawaiian and European descend stepped forward and continued on, “If you have rabies then the doctor’s going to have to—”

Tala caught sight of their dolls and remarked, “Pretty!”

Hina took notice and asked with an excited tone in her voice, “Are you gonna play dolls?”

Caught redhanded all the girls sheepishly hid their Barbie dolls behind their backs, and Allison said glaring at the two sisters in disgust, “You two don’t have a doll.”

Hinatea put her bag down, unzipped it and ushered Tala to come over. The two girls reached into their bag.

  
Allison and her entourage all gasped in horror as Hinatea held up two stuffed dolls their mother had made for them. One was a hand stitched, a little girl with blonde yarn hair, blue buttons for eyes and a light lilac dress. The other one was a depiction of a baby praying mantis with mismatched color buttons for eyes. “That’s Lilly and _this_ is Bug-bug.” Tala said as she pointed at them both as she and Hinatea said, “Our mom made them before she came back as a fish,”

Tala took over and carried on explaining, “But Bug-bug’s head is too big, so we just say there’s lots of bugs in his ear—”

Allison grabbed Bug-bug from Hinatea and threw it on the ground before pressed it with her foot and rubbed all over the curb. “You and your freaky dolls are too _freakish_ and too _ugly_ to play with our _gorgeous, beautiful, perfect_ toys.” Allison pressed harder against Bug-bug against the pavement and everyone heard the dolls seams ripping.

Tala rushed over screaming toward Allison, “Stop, you’ll break Bug-bug!”

Allison stopped, took her foot off Bug-bug and picked up the doll and promptly ripped its head off and deliberately dropped the two pieces by Tala’s feet, as the five-year-old girl knelt down and lifted the broken doll with such gentleness, anyone would’ve thought it was made out of glass. Tala then hugged the doll tightly to her chest. “There, problem solved.” Allison said dusting the non-exist dirt off her hands before she put her hands on her hips and jeered, “Now, why don’t you two nutcases do us all a favor join your stinky fish mom in the sea and _just drown._ ” Before she crossed her arms and continued on, “After all, _nobody’s_ gonna miss you two when you’re gone anyway.” Allison looked at the two sisters with a smug look on her face as she called out expectantly, “Right girls?”

Her groupies of three looked at each other hesitantly and Allison called to them again with an annoyed tone, “ _Right, girls_?”

Finally, the three girls replied unanimously, _“YEAH…_ ”

Much to her chagrin, Hinatea charged at Allison and pushed her down on the street and stared her down with narrowed eyes and held back tears. Allison scrambled to her feet, exclaiming before she got to her feet, “ ** _Ew_** _!_ _It_ bit me and touched me!” She looked Hinatea in the eyes and told her flat out, “This is why _you_ don’t gots any friends.” Allison then added as she stood up, “That’s probably why your mom decided to drown herself in the first place, ‘cause if I had _you_ for a girl I’d want to get away from _you too_.” The bully dusted herself and turned to her friends and said, “Come on, girls let’s get out of here before we catch their weirdgitis.” The four of them all turned and walked off, leaving the two sisters and their broken doll behind.

Her little sister looked up at her with confused eyes and asked, “Mama didn’t drown ‘cause she was trying to get away from us, right?” Hinatea didn’t answer her as she gazed fixedly at Lilly for a few seconds before she angrily threw the doll to the ground and stomped off down the trail, while her little sister stood up still clutching Bug-bug.

A few seconds later, Hinatea came rushing back, grabbed Lilly and hugged her tight before she put the doll down, picked up Bug-bug’s head, grabbed Lilly again and carried her in her right arm while she took her sister’s hand with her left hand and pulled her away.

 

  
 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

  
   
 

One hour later down on the highway, came the rush hour and for most people, this would prove inconvenient as many of the wanted to go home or were on their way to start their first shifts at work.

But for one woman sitting in the driver’s seat of a black Toyota Corolla, this was a blessing. In fact, for twenty-nine-year-old Moana Waialiki, the case was taking as both immoral and against work policy.

Yet, here she was—stuck both figuratively and literally—between a rock and a hard place, all due to the ultimatum her new supervisor had given; _this case or the pink slip_. Her supervisor’s insistence struck as odd, and Moana was sure her new boss had some sneaking prejudice against her… despite the fact she’d never given her new supervisor any reason to do so, after all, she’d worked in their department for nearly six years and as far as Moana knew her old boss was always rather proud of her work ethic and punctuality; but this was not about punctuality… this was a matter of her supervisor forcing her to break the very foundation of their department’s work ethic. _Never take on cases when your personal feelings are involved._

She tapped her fingers against the steering wheel of her car as she continued on watched the still traffic, bracing herself emotionally for to see the family, hearing the loud honking of cars and the shouting of impatient drivers behind her, and for a split second she’d thought _his_ voice echoed among the river of irked drivers behind her. 

Before she knew it, a river of emotions and memories been and gone seemed to pull her down further within herself—she hadn’t noticed the man behind her, blaring honks she heard him impatiently screaming at her, “Hey, the _light’s green, get a move on!_ ”

Moana changed her gearshift, pressed her foot on the gas and drove down the highway, when out of nowhere Maui came rushing in, riding his Honda motorcycle cruiser, dressed in a white singlet, shorts, and black flipflops.

“Hey!” He cried out before he turned and shouted, “Watch where you’re going—” Then he kicked her bumper, “ _Stupidhead!_ ” Before he revved his engine and rode off, leaving Moana to roll her eyes in her car, and one thought crossed her mind.

_‘Some people never change.’_

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Out of all the days for Hina to get into trouble—Maui growled in annoyance as he rushed to his daughters’ _halau_ , praying that they’d actually _listen_ to him this time.

With the _halau_ in sight, Maui slowed down, stopped, parked his bike, turned off his engine and ran up the steps to find an empty porch. He looked around and called out, “Girls?” Before he walked over to the front door and jiggled the knob, only to find it locked from the inside. “Hina?” He put his hand over his eyes and peered inside, “Tala?” But there was no one inside. His heart sank, “ _Oh no_ …” He groaned as he turned around and raced to his bike, muttering as he climbed on his vehicle and revved his engine. “You two _better_ be home.”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

He zigzagged through the hour-long traffic, taking any opening he could find through the rows and rows and rows of cars in front of him and put his foot down before he made that sharp left turn in the direction of his wooden stilt house. Once there, the sound of music resonated from inside the house, Maui parked his bike, rushed up the unpainted stairs, made it to the top deck and hurried to the front door, only to find it locked.

He let out an exasperated sigh before he pleaded, “Girls. _Open the door._ ”

Tala then called out from inside, “You didn’t say the magic word, Papa!”

Maui rolled his eyes and replied aloud while holding the urge to break down the door. “ _Please!_ ”

Then Hina’s despondent voice echoed, “ _Go away_ …”

Maui now had enough, and tried pushing his head through the dog door—and by some miracle managed to stick his head in, where he saw his two daughters lying crown to crown with one another. Hina slowly turned to face him, obviously dispirited and said, “Leave us alone to die.”

Maui grunted and told her, “Okay, _you_ stop being such a _drama queen_ , we don’t have time for this! The social worker’s gonna be here _any second!_ Do you hear me?! _Any second!_ ” But his urges fell on deaf ears as his eldest daughter reached over for the dial and increased the volume on her cassette player, and his youngest daughter laid there by her sister as they both looked up blankly at the ceiling. His eyes narrowed and an annoyed growl passed through his lips before he pulled his head out of the dog door and pushed his right arm through the flap, and he reached up to the lock. He managed to turn it and heard it **_click_**.

Finally, he pulled his arm out and tried to open the door—only to find it _still locked_.

 _He couldn’t believe this_.

Maui then stuck his head back in through the dog door and turned toward the right side of the door, and saw that it held together by _at least_ thirty-one nails. He let out a growlish grunt, looked around and found the hammer _just_ slightly within his reach. Finally pulled his head out of the dog door and then stuck his right arm in. Tala heard **_thumping_** by the door and turned her head and saw their papa’s arm trying to find the hammer. She got up, walked over toward where the hammer laid, picked it up and said, “Here.” Before she handed it to their father.

 

Maui slid the handle down low enough for him to hold onto it, but feel the head at the same time. He quickly spun the hammer around and held it upside down, so he could pull the nails out of the siding with its claw. Maui just got started when he quickly realized that his youngest daughter was standing far _too close_ to the door and within the nails’ potential range. “Alright Tala, I’m gonna need you to _back away_ from the door. _Okay?_ ”

“Okay…” His five-year-old daughter sighed, while the sounds of her slow pitter-patter soon followed, growing softer and softer with each passing second.

 _Finally,_ he can begin.

Ten minutes passed when he heard the first nail drop—that was _one_ down and another _thirty_ to go. Now, that got him seething, “ _Y_ _ou_ are so _finished_ when I get in there!” He shouted as he worked to get the second nail out, his mind too preoccupied with the current situation, he didn’t notice the black Toyota Corolla making its way down his driveway, nor did he notice the person stepping out of the car.

 

Moana looked, listened, and walked up the steps to the deck, while Maui continued on with his tirade, “I’m gonna stuff you in the blender, press pureé! Bake you into a pie and feed you to the stupid social worker and when she asks, ‘Oh? What’s your secret’ I’m just gonna say—” Having heard enough, Moana put on her sunglasses and tied her curly-wavy hair into a topknot, leaned down and tapped him on the shoulder to gain his attention. Maui immediately turned to look, and carried on, smiling sheepishly with a change of tone _,_ as he pulled his right arm out of the dog door and slowly rose to his feet, “I’m gonna say… love _and nurturing._ ” Maui looked over at his right hand and immediately dropped the hammer, then he finally saw the _oddly familiar_  female social worker, and a sneaking suspicion rose in him, “Okay, I _know_ you from somewhere…” She raised an eyebrow and lowered her sunglasses.

“Moana?” Maui called out skeptically as he took a good look at her for a moment, then seeing it was indeed _her,_ he let out a long sigh of relief, “Well, I’m just glad it’s just _you._ ” He cleared his throat and took, “Look, I’m really happy to see you—but this isn’t a good time, I’m kinda waiting—”

“Maui,” Moana cut him off as she lowered her sunglasses again and looked him straight in the eye as she informed him, “ _I’m_ , your social worker _._ ”

Maui stared at her for a few seconds, processing what she just said and couldn’t help laugh at that point, “ _You?_ _Okay, okay,_ _that_ was a good one!” He stopped thinking that she would laugh with him any second, but her expression never changed, in fact, her only response was to raise an eyebrow and continued to look at him with a no-nonsense look on her face, and that’s when he finally realized she was serious.  
  
“ _Oh…_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> **List of Terminologies:**  
>   
>  Kumu: The Hawaiian word for teacher.  
> Halau: School.  
> Manuia, fa’afetai: A Samoan phrase which translates to, "Fine, thanks."  
> Ha’ina ho’i: A chant that is occasionally used to end a hula.  
> Huli: A Hula movement.  
> Aia i ka mole kamalii: A Hawaiian proverb which translates to, "Children always begin at the foundation."  
> Ho’i Hou Ke Aloha: Hawaiian for, "Let us fall in love all over again."
> 
>  
> 
> Once again, sorry if any of the characters are OOC, and if the story seems rather... forced at times, but as I said above this is the first time I've ever written anything like this, so I do apologize if the story's well... not great?  
> :/


	2. A'ohe pu'u ki'eki'e ke ho'a'o 'ia e pi'i

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!  
> Sorry for the long wait, but I've been busy dealing with exams (thankfully there's only one more left)  
> Other than that, here's my birthday special gift to you all! :)
> 
> OOC warnings on!  
> Other than that please enjoy!  
> And please let know if you see any errors, missing words or misspellings of anything!  
> Just a warning there will be a mild violent scene in this chapter.

 

* * *

 

Maui stood there completely confused for a moment as he began to point out, “ ** _Uh_** … I thought that they didn’t—”

“Yes, I know they _usually_ don’t,” Moana rebutted as she adjusted her sunglasses, “But apparently you’re a _special case._ ” She then looked over his shoulder and stared at the front door, where the sounds of Elvis Presley’s _Heartbreak Hotel_ echoed from inside the house, “Now, are you going to invite me in?”

He paused for a moment to glance at his front door and let out a nervous chuckle. “Y’know what, it's a nice day—nice breeze—definitely, the _perfect_ weather to _sit outside_ and talk!”

Moana raised a suspicious eyebrow and replied frankly, “ _I don’t think so._ ”

A dismayed Maui replied with, “Right…” Before he pointed to the side railings behind him, “ ** _Uh_** … _this way._ ” He quickly turned, walked over and jumped over the rails. Moana let out a long sigh and shook her head before she walked over and got over the rails. She jumped and Maui politely caught her and helped her to her feet.

"Thank you," Moana replied.

"You're welcome," Maui replied before he led the way toward the back of the house.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

He jiggled the handle and found that it was locked from the inside. He took a deep breath—trying hard not to scream out certain _choice_ words in front of the social worker. He turned to Moana and told her, "Wait here." Before he got out the back door and carried on to the end of the house.  
Moana raised an eyebrow and pulled out her pen to take note of this, but the tip barely touched her notepad when the sound of glass breaking echoed from inside the house, followed by several pieces of furniture being overturned, the sounds of the girls’ music being abruptly cut off and lastly the sounds of his daughters’ dissatisfied voices going, “ _Hey!_ ”

His loud **_thumping_ ** footsteps hurried toward the back door before he wrenched it open and stood there looking slightly flustered as he asked out of hospitality, “So! _Uh_ … you want anything to drink?”

Moana replied as she took off her shoes, “No thank you. Now, I’d like to see the girls, _please?_ ” Maui reluctantly moved to one side and let her come in.  He then picked up her shoes and held them with one hand, and very quickly rushed to put them by the front door.

 

She walked through the laundry room and headed toward the kitchen as he followed behind. Her eyes took note of the half-cleaned kitchen. “How often are your children left home alone?” She suddenly asked.

Maui quickly answered, “Almost _never!_ I always make sure that they have a babysitter—” He screamed once he saw the incriminating drawing Hina purposely stuck on the fridge. Maui immediately stood in front of the fridge and put one hand behind his back to crumple the drawing before she could see it. “The girls have never…” He paused when he saw Moana’s eyes squinting as she started sniffing the air.

“Is something burning?” No sooner did the question left her lips; the lid on top of the pot started shaking and black smoke came out. A panicked Maui rushed over to the electric stove and immediately turned the heat off. Moana raised an eyebrow and inquired, “You left the stove on while you were gone?”

“ _Soia!_ ” He shouted before slamming the lid down on the bubbling pot and turned to Moana and forced a smile and said just as he opened the lid. “It’s smelling gre— ** _AH!_** ” More black smoke shot out and he immediately slammed the lid back down.

 

"We found that earlier," Hinatea spoke out from the archway that divided the living room from the kitchen. Maui whirled around and smiled sheepishly, “Oh, Hina, there you are _sweetheart_ …” Hina looked up at her father with a weird look on her face as he stood beside the social worker and introduced her, “This is Moana Waialiki.”

Moana stepped forward and held her out to Hina just as Tala slowly behind her older sister. "Nice to meet you," Moana said to the girls.

Tala tilted her head to one side and remarked, “You don’t look like a social worker.”

Hina then added as they both ignored their father who silently mouthed the word, ‘No, no, no, no, no’ as he practically _begged_ them to stop with their comments, “Yeah… you’re _waaayyy_ too pretty and princessy to be one.” Moana immediately raised an eyebrow and then opened her notebook and pulled out her pen before she wrote her findings.

Tala then saw the _malu_ on her hands and exclaimed, “Hey, you got pretty tattoos like Mommy did!” Moana stopped in the middle of her notes and looked down at the little five-year-old girl, and for a brief moment, Moana was left breathless. The slanted eyes, the slight mischievous gleam, the wavy hair, her long lashes, her slightly round cheeks and wide nose. _  
__'She looks just like her.’_ Moana thought to herself before she knelt down at the girls and returned back to her professional mindset, “Thank you for the compliment.” She replied, “Now, let’s talk about you two. Are you both happy here?”

Hina opened her mouth and paused for a moment before she spoke just like she and her sister had rehearsed. “We’re adjusting… My sister and I eat four food groups,” Maui meanwhile was using hand gestures to guide her on what to say, “Dad helps me with my homework and makes sure that Tala takes _long_ naps…” Maui then cheerfully raised his fist up high, “And… get disciplined?” He froze and cringed at his own fist.

Both her eyebrows rose as she asked, “ _Disciplined?_ ”

Tala and Hina nodded at the same time before Hina continued, “Oh yeah, he disciplines real good, sometimes five times a day—with bricks!” while Maui muttered, ‘Oh no, no, no…’ in the background.

Moana eyed her with one brow raised as she leaned forward, “ _Bricks?_ ”

Tala joined in and added, “Uh-huh, in a pillowcase—"

Maui slid across the floor toward them and cut in and said after patting them both on the top of their heads, “Okay! Well aren’t you both just _adorable_ but I think that’s enough _cuteness_ for one day.” He pushed his two daughters out toward the living room as he insisted, “Now, why don’t you two _sweethearts_ go and watch some TV or something.”

He smiled sheepishly and shrugged, “Kids, _right?_ ”

Moana slowly rose to her feet as he walked over to the fridge after offering to give her a drink for the second time since she’d arrived. She walked toward him as he opened his fridge and said as placed her hand on top of the fridge door and slowly closed it, “Maui, I don’t think you understand the circumstances you’re in.” She took off her sunglasses and placed them on the top of her head, before she looked him in the eyes, “If you don’t shape up _now_. Then I’ll have _no choice_ but to take them away.”

He took a long deep breath and said, “Yeah, I know, _I know_.”

Her eyes softened and it was her turn to take a deep breath, “I know what you’re going through Maui, I know it’s hard especially after what happened to Lani…” The mere mention of his late wife’s name choked her up _a little_ and for in that split second, three months felt like yesterday… Moana took a deep breath and reminded herself internally, that she was here _to work_ and not reminisce, “…but you need to put your feelings aside and think about your daughters _._ ” She took the glasses off her head and waved it pointedly it at him, “Remember, _you’re_ the parent and it’s your job to provide _more_ than just a roof over their heads.” She walked to the living and carried on to talking to Maui as he prepared to escort her out of the house, “They need physical, mental and emotional stabil—”

The pair then stopped at the sound of a jar's lid being turned open. Moana looked down at four plastic spoons with faces drawn, tiny skirts and headbands made of garden grass and a hardcover book titled, _Ancient Voodoo Spells_.

Hinatea and Tala grabbed the spoons in one scoop and tossed them into the glass pickle jar. Hina pressed her hands against one side and Tala pressed her hands on the other, while she took the led and told her little sister, “One… two… three… shake!” Together the two sisters began furiously shaking the jar.

Moana immediately raised a surprised eyebrow as she stared at the two with astonished eyes. Hina, noticing her presence immediately turned to the female social worker and replied in a robotic voice and blank stare, “Our friends need to be punished.”

 

Moana immediately turned to face their father with an annoyed look on her face, while Maui groaned beside her. Finally, she walked over toward Hina and handed the little girl her card and said, “Call me next time you’re both left home alone.”

“Yep.” Hina went as she immediately took the card while her gaze remained fixated on the pickle jar.

Moana walked over to the door, put on her shoes, grabbed the knob and with one strong tug, detached all the nails from the door. “By the way, I am _not impressed_." She walked out the door and said just before she closed it, "Mr Tuputala, you have _three days_ to change my mind.”

The door slammed shut and she walked down the steps and got into her car, and with her gone, Maui turned to look at his two daughters with a glower on his face. Hina and Tala let out screams of horror before Hina grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her to safety as their father chased them down the hall and into the kitchen.

Maui leapt, grabbed them and made a full roll on the floor, then he sat and held his two daughters tight. Hina opened her mouth and let her dripping tongue out before she licked her father’s tattooed arm. “ ** _UGH!_** ” He exclaimed as he lifted his saliva covered arm and the girls escaped, “ _That’s it!_ ” He rushed toward the living room. He then stood there leaning against the arch's frame expectantly as an indistinct **_slam_** echoed beside him.

 

Maui got up and walked down the hall, headed to the laundry room to grab a tablecloth. Getting what he needed, Maui laid the large tablecloth in front of the small storage area underneath the stairs, and marched up three steps, making sure his footsteps grew softer to give the illusion he was climbing up just to lure his daughters out of their hiding place. Sure enough, his plan worked and a few seconds later Hina popped her head out and darted left and right before she ushered her sister out of the storage space.

Tala came out, and at the same time Maui tiptoed down the stairs and quickly grabbed the large tablecloth, scooping his two young daughters in the makeshift bag, before he slung it over his shoulder like a sack and marched back into the living room, ignoring Hina’s grunts and growls as she fought to break free.

 

He put the sack down and opened it. Hina popped out and hissed at him before she and her sister attempted to escape, but he grabbed both their hands with his right hand and asked, slamming his left fist against the floor, “Why didn’t you two wait at the school? _You were suppose to wait there!_ ” Much to his frustration, the two continued trying to pull away from him, “Kids! Do you understand what's going on here? Do you want to be shipped off to your grandparents?” Hina slowly opened her watery eyes, shifting in uncertainty.

“ _Answer me._ ” He ordered.

“No!” Hinatea exclaimed as she fought harder to break free.

“No, you don’t understand?” He asked again.

“No!” She whined.

Growing frustrated Maui exclaimed, “No _, what?_ ”

“ _Noooo!_ ” Hina cried before she and Tala immediately threw themselves on the hardwood floor. Maui rolled his eyes, let go of their hands and he leaned forward, trying fruitlessly to decipher of whatever muffled mumbles was coming out of his eldest’s lips.

Finally, unable to understand even a single letter, he groaned and sat down beside them, pressing his hands to his forehead as he muttered in annoyance, “ _You two are such pains._ ”

Hina lifted her head from the floor and stood up and said, “So why don’t you sell us and buy a bunch of rabbits instead!”

“Yeah!” Tala added before they started stomping out of the room.

Maui, now exasperated, replied back, “Well, at least those rabbits are gonna behave better than you two!”

Hina said as she and Tala were climbing up the stairs to their room, “Go ahead ‘cause they’ll be smarter than us too!”

Maui marched to the bottom of the stairs and screamed as his two daughters made it to their bedroom door, “And _quieter!_ ”

Tala entered their bedroom first, leaving her older sister Hina to stand there and scream, “You’ll like ‘em ‘cause they’ll be all stinky _like you!_ ” Before she slammed the door.

Now, infuriated Maui shouted from the top of his lungs, “ _GO TO YOUR ROOM!_ ”

Hina opened her door and stuck her head out and shot back, “We’re already in our room!” Before she slammed the door shut.

Maui shouted, “ _Yeah?_ Well… go and kick and _cry_ on the bed and pillows that _I PAID_ for!”

Maui then marched toward the couch feeling the need to _break something_ , but instead, he grabbed a cushion and started hitting it several times before finally pressed it against his face and let out his screams of frustration and hopelessness into it.

 

Meanwhile, back up at the girl's bedroom,

 

Hina had grabbed her pillow and started screaming into it while kicking her legs up in the air before she finally finished letting out all of her pent-up emotions and plopped down on the bed with her arms and legs spread out, while Tala sat down with her legs crossed with tears in her eyes as she reached over for Bug-bug. Hina heard her sister crying and slowly lifted the pillow off her face and turned to face her.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Four hours later, Hina sat having dressed her and her sister in their pajamas, getting ready for bed when there came a knock at the girls’ door followed by a soft **_creeeekkkk_** as Maui slowly peeked in holding a tray with two plates of homemade pizza, “Hey, I made you girls some pizza in case you were hungry?”

Hinatea gave him a low-spirited sideways glance before she went back to stitching Bug-bug's head back on. Maui glanced over and saw the broken doll and slowly went in, put the tray down on their bedside table and reached over to take the needle and thread away.

“Hey, little girls shouldn’t be playing around with—”

Hina pushed his hand away, “ _No._ I can do it.”

Maui frowned and pointed out, “You’re gonna get him all crooked.”

“I don't care…” Hina muttered as she continued stitching, “Tala's not gonna tell the difference anyway.” Maui looked over and saw his five-year-old daughter sleeping on her side of the queen-sized bed, her face stained with dried up tears.

“Well, it’s almost bedtime for you, so how about you leave the mending to me and you just eat your pizza—”

Hina cut him off and said, “We’re a broken family, aren’t we?”

Maui scoffed and let out a nervous chuckle, “ _Us_ , a broken family? Are you kidding, we’re one of the best families…” He paused when he saw the lost look in his eldest daughter’s eyes, finally he let out a defeated sigh, “Okay… maybe we are… _a little_. Or maybe _a lot_. Look, I’m sorry yelled at you two.”

Hina turned to him again with sad, frustrated and confused eyes.

Maui took a deep breath and said, “Well, from now on I have to be Mom and—”

She cut him off and said, “I liked it better when you were just Dad.”

That put a smile on his face as he knelt down by their bedside and crossed his arms over the edge of their bed, "Yeah?"

Hina felt the tears coming as she looked down at the half-fixed Bug-bug and buried her face against the doll as she asked in a sobbing voice, “And you like us better than rabbits right?”

Maui then got up and pulled her into his strong arms, “ _Hey, hey, hey,_ yeah… _Yeah, I do._ " Hina curled into a ball and leaned her head against his chest. A few seconds later the two heard Tala sitting up and walking over to them. Maui carefully moved Hina to his other arm and cradled Tala with the other as she curled into a ball too. “I love you both more than _the millions_ of rabbits in the whole wide world.”

Tala sniffled as she looked up at their father and asked, “Daddy, Mommy didn’t drown ‘cause she wanted to leave us, right?”

Maui spoke out in shock, “ _No…”_ Before he leaned over to his younger daughter, “ _No, no, no_ , you got that all—Tala, who told you that?”

“Allison did.” Hina replied, “After I hit her…”

“You hit her?” Maui inquired.

“Before I bit her.” Hina continued.

Maui let out a soft groan before he said, “Hina, you should know better—”

His eight-year-old-daughter said in a low despondent voice, “People treat us like _we’re_ the crazy ones.”

“Well, whaddya tell ‘em?” Maui asked.

Tala answered, “What you say to us, that Mommy’s a fish now and every Thursday me and Hina need to feed her peanut butter and honey sandwiches.”

He groaned, lifted his left arm off Tala’s back and wiped his face with his hand and mumbled, “’Course they’d start thinking you’re crazy if you tell them that…”

He felt his daughters’ confused eyes looking up at him. He paused for a moment trying to find the right words to explain, “ ** _Uh_** _…_ look… um… _you…_ ” He closed his eyes and made a noise mixed between a grunt and wince, and then a light bulb turned on in his head, “ _You_ can’t tell anybody else about your mom being a fish okay?”

Tala’s eyebrows narrowed in confusion, “Why?”

“Yeah, why?” Hina added as she looked up at him. Maui smiled as he placed his hands on each of his daughters’ back.

“’Cause Mommy’s magic will disappear and she can’t come and visit you anymore— _so_ if people ask just tell them that your mother’s become part of the island. She’s the sand you walk on, she’s the wind that blows your hair and _cools you down_ when the day gets hot.” Maui’s eyes started blinking rapidly as he struggled to stop the stinging tears from forming in his eyes.

He took one quick glimpse at the ceiling, giving his heart time to compose itself before he looked down at the two, _beautiful_ girls he and Lani had made together. He leaned over and gave Tala an Eskimo kiss before he turned and gave Hina one as well. “Tell them, she's the waves that you surf—”

Tala leaned over and said, “And the sun in the sky!”

Maui reached over and grabbed his five-year-old before he bounced her in his hand and carried on, “And the stars, the grass, the rain and even the clouds!” Tala let out several loud giggles before he put her back down on his lap. Tala suddenly jumped up to give him a hug, and Hina soon followed. Maui wrapped his arms around his daughters and whispered, “She's _everywhere_ where you need her to be.” Then he asked, “Now who wants some of my _amazing_ homemade pizza?”

“I do! I do!” His daughters said, raising their hands at the same time. Maui then reached over for the tray and brought it to the bed.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Back on Secret Island Beach, a barefoot Moana knelt down and laid a few of Lani’s favorite flowers, Hawaiian Peacock Jasmine, down on the sand, one by one and watched as the waves lifted the flowers with its gentle hands and pulled it slowly toward the sea while the sounds of seagulls filled the air as they circled around the beach. The young woman undid her topknot, letting her long flowing curly-wavy hair flow from the ocean breeze as she said two simple that expressed her love and grief, “ _Aloha,_ Lani.”

She closed her eyes and felt the seawater between her toes before she turned her head up and opened her eyes to stare at the stars above her and then turned back to gaze at the horizon before her and listened to the ocean waves as she reflected on the fond childhood memories she and Lani had together on this very beach.

“I wish you were here…” Moana whispered, closing her eyes once again. A stronger breeze came and blew one of the jasmines out of her hands and onto Moana’s head. She smiled and took the jasmine before tucking it behind her ear. “I wish I could’ve been there, at least to say goodbye.”

Moana crouched down and slowly put both her hands in the small waves and watched as all the flowers floated out of her hands and joined the sea as she whispered, “I’m sorry, Lani…” Hoping that it would alleviate the guilt she’d been carrying for the last six years since their last meeting.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

A proud smile appeared on Maui’s lips as he tucked both his sleeping daughters in. He leaned over and gave Tala a fatherly kiss on the side of her head, and then gently ruffled Hina’s hair as she slept. Maui turned and grabbed the tray, filled with two empty plates and skillfully balanced it with one hand.

“Night Daddy,” Hinatea whispered, “Love you.”

He stopped and turned just in time to see his eight-year-old daughter’s eyes slowly close for the second time that night. He slowly walked over toward Hina, and leaned over still balancing the tray on his right hand, and gave her a fatherly kiss on the side of her head. “G’night Shark-bait,” He whispered, “Love you too, more than you know.” Before he walked out of their room with a loving smile on his lips, and gently closed the door.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

As Maui climbed the stairs and headed down to the hall, he stopped and looked toward the end of the hallway. A hung photo caught his eye, and he quickly turned his gaze up the photograph of a heavily pregnant woman in a blue sundress, with long flowing wavy hair and a jasmine tucked into her left ear, and slightly slanted brown eyes and long lashes, leaning over toward a little girl with short curly hair, dressed in a one-piece pink swimsuit with a white skirt and three giant prints of yellow plumerias across the main body of her swimming clothes, as she stood holding a conch shell to the side of her ear. A sad reminiscing smile came to his lips as he stared at the photograph, remembering the promise of forever…

… before _forever_ was taken away in one single wave.

Maui carried on to the kitchen and unceremoniously put the plates beside the filled up sink with dirty two weeks worth of pots, pans and dishes and now the large pyrex glass bowl he’d used for the pizza tonight.

All of them, symbols of the three months worth of mess and load he was carrying within himself. He continued to look at the kitchen. The once cleaned counter was now stained with flour, bits of his secret pizza sauce, small dried crumbs of his homemade unbaked pizza dough laid scattered around. But, at least the checkered pattern tilted floor was still _clean_ , the windows were clean. But there was still so much more he needed to do.

He walked over to the cabinet and pulled the door open, his heart sank down into the pit of his stomach. _‘What am I doing?_ ’ He thought helplessly to himself as he turned around toward window and then gazed at the piled up sink before him. There was so much he needed to clean… _too many_ _things he needed to clean._  

 

He left the kitchen, unable to stand the mess—or the thought of cleaning—and headed back to the living room, which to his credit was tidier than the kitchen for the time being.

He then turned to the small end table that stood near the entrance and saw the end table next to the front door and then walked over toward it. He unlocked the door, reached for the small handle with one finger and pulled it open. Inside the drawer were letters of bank statements, last year’s property tax (around 5,320 dollars per year) electricity bills, the water bill, gas, internet, mortgages and etc… _most_ of them overdue, because he couldn't afford to pay them even with his salary.

Of course, there was the cost of groceries, the girl's hula tuition, new clothes, textbooks, pencil cases, other stationery, toys, his motorcycle insurance.

He might as well apply for a second job at this point… _a night job_ on top of his predawn security shift.

_What a joy that’ll be._

Maui put the letters back in the drawer, closed it and locked it, so his girls wouldn’t have to see. He walked over to the living room and automatically went to the small bookshelf, located on the right-hand side of the house.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

9 PM,

Moana’s Toyota Corolla drove up the gravel path toward her house down toward Wilhemina Rise’s 10th Avenue… about a forty-five-minute drive from Secret Island Beach, and parked her car right in front of her garage and then opened the glove compartment to pull out the small remote control button for the garage, and pressed the top button with the blue marking etched at the center.

The door slowly pulled up and Moana switched gears from neutral to drive and gently put her foot lightly on the accelerator.

 

Once she’d put her car in the garage, Moana pressed the bottom button and waited till the doors pulled down and stopped with a loud **_clank_**. Sighing to herself, she turned off her engine and got out of her car. She leaned over to her passenger seat and grabbed her folder and proceeded to close her car door before she entered her house through the door that separated the garage from the main part of her home.

 

She walked through her small but neat kitchen and put her folder on top of her granite counters, and turned back to lock the door. She let out a long sigh before she turned back to her folder for a moment and then turned to her living room and decided to forget for Tuputalas for the night and quenched her thirst for nostalgic needs.

Unknown to her, the very same moment Maui was doing the very same thing. Standing at their own respected living rooms, Maui and Moana pulled out their photo albums at the same time and sat down on their couches.

Moana leaned against her soft pillows, aligned neatly against her oceanic blue leather couch. While Maui slouched on his sofa.

The two opened their albums, and Moana started flipping through it gently, her eyes scanned through pictures, whereas Maui just started skimming through it passing through several pictures of his so-called _happy childhood_ and only slowed down once he’d reached his teenage years, and then two finally reached Lani’s pictures.

 

A majority of them contained photos of Moana and Lani’s playing together as toddlers, standing next together during kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school performances to them from age twelve onward wearing identical clothing, showing off their friendship bracelets. Then of them at age seventeen posing together as they travelled across the Pacific together on their duo adventure.

 _The Pacific Island Sisters_ was their nickname, and no words could best describe the bond between them, despite the distance between their native islands. Suddenly Moana remembered the one particular trip that changed it all.

 _American Samoa_.

Finally, Maui and Moana each took a deep breath and slowly turned the page and began reliving the memories imprinted in front of them.

_American Samoa_ was Moana’s homeland through her father’s side. She’d remembered how much Lani her so-called native Hawaiian sister, had always wanted to see it. Despite how Lani’s mother did possibly everything they could possibly do to sabotage the trip… and not just the trip, she did everything to sabotage _her_ as a person.

For as long as she could remember, Lani’s mother did everything she could to ruin all her special days, whether through school plays, award ceremonies, and putting her down by how she looked, dressed, and all ounce of her individuality or her own self-image that was separate from her mother’s identity was seen as something to break and destroy, over and over and over again. Meanwhile, Lani's father wasn't any better—in fact, he enabled the behavior and even suggested that it was _her_ fault for working her mother up into such a frenzy.

 

Fortunately, Lani had a lot more self-will than that and she managed to get a waitressing job in the same _luau_ themed restaurant Moana had worked. The two worked for eight months and had saved all their tips. Moana had saved enough to pay for her ticket, but when Lani went to check her saving’s account, she found her main ATM card gone, and using her spare ATM card discovered that all her savings had been drained out.

They both learned what happened the next morning. Lani’s mother simply went through Lani’s purse, took her ATM card, found an ATM machine and cashed out all her savings, and when confronted her mother simply shrugged as if it was no big deal and proclaimed her savings as Lani's eight-month _‘overdue’_ rent and began gaslighting her right then and there about her _poor memory_ from the so-called family discussion they all had eight months ago. That was another breaking point for her an argument ensued and ended with Lani’s mother chasing her around the house with a hammer in hand, threatening to call the police on her after Lani packed her bags and got ready to leave.

 

_And these were the same people who wanted custody of Hinatea and Tala._

 

Moana and Maui then looked down at the very same photograph in front of them. Taken on the eighth day, she and Lani spent in Samoa during the sunset in _Lalomanu_ beach, where there once stood two, now became _three_. Lani, twenty-year-old Maui and _her_ , with his arm around her shoulder.

 

Moana slowly closed her photo album, unable to bear to look at the images that happened next, and set the album aside. Finally stood up from the couch and turned off her living room light as she went to get herself ready for bed.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Maui kept going through of all the photos of the three of them together in Samoa, till he stopped at one picture of him and Moana, taken one year after their meeting.

 

A small reminiscent smile came to his lips as his eyes slowly glanced down at their pictures together, how happy they were for those two years… till everything went wrong. Till _he_ screwed up. But, that screw up wasn’t a total loss and he had Hinatea to remind him of that.

 

Finally, he closed the photo album and got up. He put the photo album back on the shelf and pushed it back in among the other selection of books before he turned and walked out of the living room down into the hallway and turned right before continuing down toward the end of the hall, where his 3 x 2 square meter bedroom was located.

He opened the door and entered before closing the door behind him. He walked over to his bedside table and flicked on the light before he headed over to his third-hand oak drawers and pulled out his sleeping shorts. He quickly changed and decided it was too hot to sleep with a shirt on, immediately got under the covers. Maui stared up at the ceiling and took a deep breath before he turned to the other side of the bed. _Lani’_ _s side of the bed._ A part of the bed that used to feel so _warm_ and loving now remained _cold_ _and_ _empty_.

 

Maui then reached for the chain around his neck and lifted the chain high enough for him to see the petite wedding ring that once sat on his wife’s wedding finger.

Letting out another long sigh, he reached out to the lamp and turned off the lights, hoping to see Lani in his dreams again tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **List of terminologies:**
> 
> Soia: Samoan for stop!  
> A'ohe pu'u ki'eki'e ke ho'a'o 'ia e pi'i: A Hawaiian phrase that translates to: No cliff is so tall it cannot be climbed.


	3. 'A'ohe lokomaika'i i nele i ke pâna' i

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays Everybody!  
> First let me just say, I wish you guys a Happy Merry Christmas!  
> Second, this chapter will deal with quite a bit of sensitive topics and unfortunately... stereotypes.  
> So, let me apologize in advance if any of the characterizations or language here offends/triggers you in any way shape or form (In which case you may skip this chapter). But, I cannot see any other way to convey this chapter (at this time) that will allow us to delve into Moana and Maui's situation as well as their past.  
> Third,  
> I am not of Polynesian descent (as I've stated in Hinatea)  
> However, I do come from a culture with some similar principals and beliefs of Pacific Island cultures, so once again, I do apologize if this portrayal offends you. I've also done as much research, through books, videos, and websites about the Pacific island culture as much as I could in regards to Fa'a Samoa and The Spirit of Aloha.  
> If you see any errors of any kind, please let me know so that I can fix it ASAP.  
> Thank you!  
> 

* * *

 

 

Moana found that she couldn’t sleep that night and that was the  _last_  thing she needed right now. But that meeting opened up so many emotions in her; emotions that she’d thought since forgotten.

 _Apparently not_ …

The more she thought about it, the more she felt angry, but  _at who?_ She wasn’t angry at Lani; she knew Lani and she knew that she wouldn’t do anything to intentionally hurt her.  _Never._ Moana knew that when she found Lani in her and Maui’s apartment, sitting on their couch, crying her eyes out from the guilt hammering away chips of her heart.  
  


What happened that night was an accident.  _A stupid accident_.

A stupid accident that made her end things with Maui and put a three-month rift between their sisterhood. Till she came to the conclusion that their friendship was far too important to throw away over  _one man_.

Sighing to herself, Moana got out bed and pressed her feet against the cold tile floor. She walked across her room and headed to the door. Her fingers curled her fingers against the handle and pushed it down.

  
She walked down the hallway and headed toward the kitchen to make herself a warm cup of light tea _—_ preferably chamomille _—_ to help her sleep.

Moana reached up and pulled open her cabinet to pull out, a lumpy coffee mug, painted yellow with child-like paintings of blue flowers with a red pistil, a brown stem and green blobby leaves with pointed ends.

This was the mug that Lani had made for her back when they were four or five-years-old?

Then came the next test of her strength.  _Lani’s wedding._ That was a hard one, but she managed to pull through it and to see her best friend in her simple wedding dress. A white V-neck A-line with chiffon and a small train. She didn't wear a veil, instead, she wore a crown of white hibiscus flowers around her flowing wavy hair.

She remembered the sound of the conch shell horn echoing in her ear, signalling the beginning of the ceremony, and she remembered how the Hawaiian priest, carrying four  _leis_ in each arm, leading the way toward the shore, where a small canoe stood with flowers decorated, chanting a traditional blessing as Maui and his groomsmen followed behind him.

Moana recalled the white buttoned shirt and white slacks Maui wore, along with the red sash around his waist and a _maile lei_  around his neck.

_His thick curly hair was fixed into a topknot as he stood there beside the by the shore as the ocean breeze blew on the fire of tiki torches planted on each side of him._

Then it was all the bridesmaids' turn to join in. That was the hardest part for her. Being a maid of honor to her best friend and her ex-boyfriend’s wedding. But, she wouldn’t have missed it the opportunity for anything in the world…

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

_She and the other bridesmaids stood to the left, all of them in flowing light lilac dresses, holding bouquets in their hands._

_They all turned to where Lani stood, with her arm around her uncle’s as they both walked down the aisle._

_All eyes and smiles were on them as they proceeded down the beach. Finally, her uncle turned to Maui and with a flick of switch Lani’s uncle suddenly put an icy mask on. Maui quickly drew back and a few seconds later Lani's uncle let out a humorous laugh before he gave Maui a pat on the back unaware that he used enough force to knock the wind out of him. At last, he pulled his arm from Lani’s and gave her a bear hug before he lovingly nudged her toward her husband-to-be, before returning to sit down beside his wife and their youngest child; five-year-old Hiapo._

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

  

 

Snores echoed through the halls of the Tuputala residence and moonlight shined through the drawn thin yellow hibiscus patterned drapes of Maui's bedroom shedding light to Maui as he slept, laying on his stomach with right cheek pressed against his pillow, his blanket draped across his waist, his large feet peeking out from the edge of his bedcover and drool trailing flowing down his opened lips as his loud snores echoed all over his room.

Then two small hands reached over against his tattooed shoulder and Hina’s voice soon followed as she called out, shaking his right shoulder.

“Dad… Dad…  _Dad_.”

Suddenly Maui was woken by a strong nudge to his side. He jolted and quickly whirled his head around to his right. He squinted letting his sight adjust to the sudden brightness of the hallway light and once his exhausted eyes sight cleared up, saw Hinatea standing there holding her bedsheet tightly in her fist.

“Hina?” He called out to her in a sleepy voice, wiping his face with his hand as he asked, “What time is it?” Before he clumsily reached for the alarm o’clock standing on his bedside table.  _3 A.M._

_  
One hour before he had to leave for shift…_

“Tala wet the bed again.” She told him.

He let out a tired groan before he muttered, “Alright, alright, I’ll take care of it." Still exhausted, Maui forced himself to get up from the bed as he walked to his bedroom door.

Hinatea looked up at him with a sorry look on her face, and for a moment he could’ve sworn it was his sister looking back at him, clutching the bedsheets with a frightened on her face looking up at him as he stood where their father would’ve stood as she prepared herself for the inevitable…

“ ** _Ummm_** … Dad?” Hina called out to him, snapping his mind back to reality. He looked down and saw the confused look on her face as she backed away, wrinkling her nose to one side and asked, “Are… you  _okay?_ ”

  
Maui massaged the bridge of his nose for a moment and sighed, “Oh yeah _—_ ** _um_** , look how ‘bout you put the sheets in the laundry room and I’ll let you and Tala stay in my room.” Hina smiled ecstatically to hear her father’s words and her heart weld up in excitement. She dropped the bedsheets right there by his bedroom floor and raced upstairs to tell her sister the news, leaving her father to do her work.

He shook his head and picked up the sheets, folding it up neatly before he walked out of his room toward the laundry room and tossed the sheets in the washing machine, tossed a small bag of washing liquid, closed its lid, turned the machine on and left.

By the time he headed back to his room, he found Hina and Tala curled against each other and peacefully sleeping on his bed. Maui walked over toward his bed, leaned over and reached for his blanket before tucking them in.

Not even second had passed when there came an expected knock on the front door. He straightened up, walked over to the front door and opened it.

Standing outside was Hiapo’s mother, Waiola looking up at him with a slightly disapproving look on her face as she told him. “Hiapo can’t do these pre-dawn babysitting sessions  _anymore_.” She saw the panicked look on his face and her expression softened slightly before she explained, “His grades are starting to slip, he’s falling asleep in class and he might not show it, but he’s  _exhausted_  too.” 

Maui raised an eyebrow and trying to sound smart pointed out, “ ** _Ummmm_** _…_  How would you know?”

Waiola crossed her arms over her chest and shot him down with her sharp tongue, “Because I’m  _his mom_ and I've been getting calls from his school. Apparently, he's been falling asleep  _during class_.”

Maui had to admit, Waiola wasn't like any of the other mother's he'd seen throughout his childhood… then again, Lani wasn't either. Lani seemed like the picturesque mother _—_ the kind he'd seen on TV growing up. The kind that had enough sense to protect her kids.

Waiola’s voice snapped him out his thoughts as she continued, “…and  _he_ _doesn’t want to see your girls taken away from you_.” Then her gentler side came out as she added, “And neither do I. Especially with Lani’s  _lolo_  parents. So, here’s what I’m gonna do. I’ll come by and babysit the girls before dawn _—_ ” Maui opened his mouth to interrupt but she didn’t give him a chance to speak, “ _—_ _and_ I’ll let Hiapo babysit after school  _when he’s needed_.” She extended her hand toward him and looked him in the eye with her right brow raised, “ _Deal?_ ” 

Maui let out a long sigh and reached out to shake her hand. With the deal set, Waiola entered his home and took one good look around before she slowly started shaking her head and remarked, “Looks like you could use a woman’s touch.”

He didn’t want to hear the whole  _go out find another woman_  talk and told her flat out, “It’s only been three months _—_ ”

Waiola rolled her eyes and knew he would’ve taken her words  _the wrong way_  like he usually does and then clarified, “I meant  _me_. It needs  _my touch_  of cleaning.” She paused for a moment and added, “If  _you’d_  let me?”

Maui let out an irritated sigh and said, “Y’know if you wanna clean my house,  _just say so._ ”

Waiola replied once again using her sharp tongue. “Okay,” She put her hands on her hips told him frankly, “I want to clean your house and make it look spanking clean for you and your girls. And trust me, you wouldn’t know what’d hit you when you come home from work today.”

Maui scoffed at her statement and then whirled around to glare at her when she threw one couch pillow at the back of his head. She didn't try to hide the deed either. She walked over to him and picked up the cushion, fluffed it and put it back on the couch. Finally, she turned to Maui with her arms crossed over her chest and said, “ _Never_  underestimate mothers.”

He looked at her with confused lost puppy dog eyes. Waiola walked over to him and gave him a gentle motherly nudge on his shoulder and said, “ _Alright_   _Mister_ , go wash up remember you gotta leave in an hour.” Right on cue, Maui walked out of the living room and headed toward the bathroom down the hall.

Waiola then took one more look around the living and the kitchen and let out a long,  _long_  sigh as she put her hands on her hips. She had her work cut for her, and thank goodness she'd had years of training having five of out of her six kids _—_ and the number of messes she'd had to clean-up.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

The morning at the hotel started as usual with no real activity around. So, Maui sat down in the Hotel's Security Booth reading a newspaper while taking a glance at the monitors in case of incoming cars waiting to be let in.

His Nokia then beeped, letting him know that he'd received a text message. Maui pulled his phone out of his pocket and stared at the small screen and its computerized font.  _1 New Message._ Maui, thinking it was from Waiola or one of his girls, then pressed the home button and was surprised that it was an unknown number—shocking still was the content itself:  _Look up._

The sound of a car’s engine by the window of the booth. Maui put his newspaper away and walked over to the booth window.

Outside a black 1985 Toyota MR2 pulled in and the driver finally rolled down his filtered window. The driver turned to be a rather bulky, hard-looking man obviously of Polynesian descent, possibly in his mid-thirties or early forties, dressed in a dark singlet with small hints of a buzz cut and a subtle five o’clock shadow. Everything about this man screamed  _tough guy_. Like actual  _prison_   _tough_ ; the kind of tough that  _nobody_  wanted to mess with.

“How can I help you?” Maui asked him as cordially as possible, despite his confusion, apprehension and strange sense of familiarity toward the man.

The driver then lowered his shades and looked up at him and said, revealing his thick New Zealand or Australian accent, “You can start by getting your sorry ass over here give yer bro a big ‘ol fat hug.”

Maui could barely hide the baffled look on his face and the man before him didn’t act all surprised. “You don’t remember me don’t ya?”

“ _How can I help you?_ ” Maui asked him again.

The driver then said, “What? You too bloody stinkin’ rich to give your brother a hug, mate?”

Maui scoffed at that remarked and asked him again, “How can I help you?”

“I need a place to stay.” His brother replied, “So I booked myself a room here, so you’ll be seeing a lot of me, and there’s  _nothing_  your sorry face can do ‘bout it, little  _t_ _ikitiki_.”

Maui’s eyes widen for a moment, “ _Nikau?_ ” He asked. Nikau  _the last_ of his four older brothers was right here in the flesh.

“Well, it's about bloody time you remembered.” His older brother replied just as he changed gearshifts from neutral to drive but he kept his foot on the break just for a minute as he looked at his brother in the stall and said, “Hey,  _pekepoho_ _._ ” He paused and saw the bewildered look on his youngest brother’s face, “Next time we meet, I’ll buy you a drink.”

Maui stood there, stunned into silence and then pressed the bottom to lift the barrier up.

Nikau glanced at him bobbing his head slightly before he told him, “Oh, do me a favour and drop the accent will ya,  _eh_ bro? You sound like a bloody yank.” He moved his left foot from the break and pressed the gas before he sped off, leaving his long lost  _baby_  brother of twenty-six years standing there in a complete stupor.

When the initial shock finally left him, Maui rolled his eyes and shook his head before he uttered, “ _New Zealanders._ ” He then turned toward the clock hanging behind him.

_One hour more to free _—__ the realization suddenly hit him like a heart attack. His brother, Nikau ‘Nick’ Tauheke was here in Hawaii _—_ he  _found him_.

_How did he find him?_  In fact,  _how did he get his number?_

His sense of security shattered right then and there as he felt his past slapping him on the face. Maui slowly reached for his walkie-talkie with the intention of having a co-worker cover his station for a bit when he suddenly stopped himself and took a deep breath.

But he couldn’t help notice how much he’d resembled their old man… or at least what he remembered about him? Thoughts of their father— _late father?_ Was he even still alive?

Maui quickly shook the thoughts and questions out of his head.

"Don't let him get to you, Maui." He whispered to himself before resolved to carry on with his shift. After all, he had bills to pay and two little girls to feed.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

Moana typed away at her computer, her mind too focused on the report in front of her. However, the right part of her brain, however, was trying to push its invasive thoughts through the rational part of her mind. She stopped and looked at her report.

It had been three hours and she'd barely written five hundred words _—_ let alone one hundred and fifty, and the lack of sleep certainly didn’t help. Moana stopped for a moment to give herself a break for a moment when out of nowhere her supervisor popped into her office and asked in a sickly cheerful tone, “Moana! How is the report going?” Before she started wagging her finger at her, “Not slacking off I hope.”

Moana hid her panic and disappointment and immediately went back to work. “Don’t worry I’ll get that report in by the end of the week _—_ ”

“ _End of the day!_ ” Her supervisor said in a sing-a-long voice before she gave Moana a bright smile and then she added, “ _Unless…_ the Tuputala case is  _the quitter_  for you.” Moana saw the hopeful twinkle in her supervisor’s eyes and got the not so subtle hint. She couldn’t fire her so she  _wanted her to quit_  instead.

“No." Moana told her and said in a reassuring tone, “I’ll get it done by the end of the day.” She looked up and saw her supervisor’s strained smile.

“ _Good_.” Her supervisor replied with obvious forced enthusiasm as she reached over and patted the top of Moana’s head as she told her. “I’ll  _leave you to it._ ”  

 

Moana watched as her supervisor left and took a deep breath as she continued on typing her findings on their home. It was a mess––a  _real mess_ and she knew that it was a clear reflection of what was going on inside him… what was going on inside all of them. 

She remembered her last meeting with Lani all those seven years ago… 

_  
Little Hina dabbled and gently smacked her hands as her mother sat her down on her lap. Moana chuckled at the sight of her best friend’s young daughter and added as she lifted a thick strand of the toddler’s curly hair, “I see so much of Maui in her, I’m beginning question whether she’s_ ** _really_**   _your daughter or not?”_

_Lani let out her sweet infectious giggle as she looked down at her baby girl and said, “I’m sure there’s a bit of me in there somewhere.”_

_Moana raised an eyebrow the same time Lani did before they looked down at the babbling toddler on her lap and saw it. “Eyelashes!” The two women said in a unison before they froze and stared at one another for a split second before breaking into a short fit of laughter._

_“And how’re my two favorite girls doing?” Maui’s voice echoed from behind them as he came walking over to the porch, carrying a small tray of refreshing cold drinks to beat the heat. Lani smiled as she looked up at her husband and reached over for the drink he was handing out to her. “Decaf iced tea for my lady.” He recited before he turned and handed the second glass to their guest, **“** Vaifala for Moana.” He turned and handed his little girl her sippy cup as she eagerly reached out for the handles before she pushed the tip of her bottle in her mouth. Maui smiled proudly as he watched Hina drinking her cold chocolate milk away, “And chocolate milk for the little princess.”_

_Finally, he picked up his own glass of vailafa and the three of them clinked their glasses together before taking a sip of their beverages and soaked in its cooling effects before they put their drinks aside._

_“I can’t believe you’re really going to The Mainland tomorrow.” Said Lani with a slightly sad smile on her face._

_"I know," Moana replied with a sigh._

_“And The University of Michigan too,” Maui added before he let out an impressed whistle, “You’re gonna knock ‘em out with your brains.”_

_Moana rolled her eyes and Lani leaned forward and gave her husband a light playful smack on the shoulder before she turned to Moana and said, “Don’t mind him he’s just being silly _—_ ”_

_“Hey!” Maui shot back with feigned offence._

_Moana and Lani glanced at one another and laughed while Maui sat there scowling for a second before shaking his head as he became the butt of their jokes. Then he raised his glass and said,_

_“Here’s to Moana _—_ ”_

_Moana then raised her glass and decided to up her ante a bit with, “Here’s to our futures.”_

_Lani raised her glass with her left hand as she kept hold of her daughter with her right and toasted with, “To our future.”_

_Maui joined in, “To our future.”_

_The three of them clinked their glasses and drank to their toast._

 

Moana snapped out of her daydream and looked over at her screen and much to her disappointment realized that she’d barely typed anything down _—_ and how could she… especially it was so obvious her superior was setting her up to call it quits, but she was no quitter, and she wasn’t going to let Lani’s daughters end up with their maternal grandparents.

They were  _lolo _—__ _narcissistic_  was the word that came to her mind. But here in their culture, parents were still very involved in their children’s lives even after adulthood. But Lani’s parents were  _too involved_  even by Hawaiian standards. She’d interviewed several of their neighbours and wrote down their findings. Most of them were horrified when they heard of the Kahele's plight. Few of them agreed to testify or foster the two girls themselves if that meant their grandparents would  _never_ gain custody of the two sisters.

 

“I can do this.” She said sighing to herself before she reached over and began pressing her fingers against her keyboard.

**< III><III><III><III>**

Lunchtime had arrived and at last Maui parked his bike and looked up to hear his two daughters excited shouts as his front door burst open from above, and there was the heartwarming sight. Hina and Tala quickly raced down the stairs, hopped off the bottom step and rushed straight into his arms, knocking their father off his feet.

Maui let out a loud cough as one of them knocked the air right out of his stomach. Waiola stood there leaning against the doorway shaking her head in disapproval as Maui laid there in the dirt bouncing his two little girls up in the air.

Waiola yelled out, “Maui, get your butt up here before you get mud in your hair!”

Maui stopped bouncing his daughters and asked, grinning as he slowly sat up with his two daughters still sitting on the palms of his hands, “Whaddya think girls? Should we listen to your grumpy great aunt over here?”

“I HEARD THAT MAUI TUPUTALA!” Waiola shouted from their deck. Maui flinched before he gave his two daughters a sheepish glance. Suddenly he felt two small hands pulling his own.

Hinatea and Tala both tried to pull him up as his five-year-old insisted, “You gotta see the house Daddy!”

Maui finally stood up to his feet as Hina added, “Yeah! Aunty Waiola cleaned it up  _real good!_ ”

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

The sight of the living room was like a breath of fresh air _—_ the lightness was a feeling both foreign but welcoming at the same time. Maui couldn't help but feel he'd just stepped into a new house all over again. He turned and took one step into the kitchen, and stood in the middle of the open archway and saw no trace of the last three months worth of seemingly endless piles of plates, cups, and pans. Even the sink shined like it was brand new.

Part of him couldn’t believe it… the last time he’d seen a house this clean was back when Lani was still alive. He slowly turned his head toward the wooden frame.

Waiola walked over beside him with her hands on her hips as she said with a proud smirk, “I told you, you wouldn’t know what hit you.”

Maui looked down at her and remarked, “Waiola, you  _do care _—__ ** _hah ow!_** ”

She pinched and gave a sharp twist to his cheek before she pulled her hand and said, “Don’t push it. Now…  _say the magic words._ ”

He rolled his eyes and muttered, “Thank you _…_ ”

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you—” She said in a sing-a-long voice.

“ _THANK YOU_ ," Maui replied, louder this time.

Waiola crossed her arms over her chest and nodded in approval, “That’s more like it.” Maui and Waiola looked down when they heard Hina giggling before Tala elbowed her sister’s side.

Maui raised an eyebrow and turned to Waiola with a lopsided smile on his face and said with a sincere tone his voice, “Thanks.”

His former aunt-in-law’s eyes softened  _a bit_  and she replied with a much gentler tone, “You’re welcome.” Then she cleared her throat and added with usual no-nonsense attitude, “Now, you better be looking after your girls—and don’t think I can’t kick your butt just because I’m a woman—if I hear just one ounce of complaining from your two little girls I swear Maui—”

“Easy, easy,  _Mama bear_.” Maui told her before he put his hands up in the air and added, “I know how to look my girls. ‘kay?”

She pointed her warning finger at him and told him with feigned seriousness, “ _You’d better_ or I might as well fight for custody too.”

He scoffed and pointed out, “Yeah? Well better you than  _them_.”

Waiola picked up the small hint of stress in his voice and took a deep breath before she asked, “When’s your next shift?”

He turned to her for a moment and said, “Well, 10 A.M tomorrow.”

Hinatea and Tala turned to one another in disbelief before they turned back to their father completely bright-eyed. Hina asked him, “Does that mean you to sleep in—”

Tala cut in with an excitement in her sweet little voice. “And we can  _actually_  see you in the morning!”

Maui immediately saw where this was going and said, “Now girls _—_ ** _oof!_** ” He’d barely started on what he wanted to say when his kids unexpectedly knocked him off his feet.

The two girls then started climbing over all him.

Seeing his distressed state Waiola said as she marched toward the front door and let herself out, “Well—I’m all done here. Have fun with your girls,  _Daddy._ ”

Maui then yelled out as he lifted his five-year-old daughter up off his chest. “Oh c’mon!” Completely forgetting his other daughter till her elbow pressed against his cardiac sphincter causing him to cough, before he groaned and lowered his head and arms to the floor,  _surrendering_ _to his fate._

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Six hours later, after their horseplay was done, Maui made dinner, got his daughters to put their pajama’s on and was preparing snacks in the kitchen for their weekly Friday movie night.

Hina and Tala sat themselves down on the left, waiting for their father to come and join them. The two heard the sounds of their father’s footsteps and turned their heads to see him coming in carrying a bowl of caramel flavoured popcorn. Hinatea got on her knees and scampered over to the right side of the couch so their father could sit between them.

Maui put the bowl down on the coffee table and sat down in the middle before he reached over for the remote to the DVD player and pressed play. Hina leaned forward and grabbed a hand full of popcorn just as Lilo and Stitch started playing on the screen.

“Daddy, do you think aliens really exist?” Tala asked. Maui and Hina shushed her while they continued watching the movie. Tala turned and saw her father and big sister were too focused on the movie and finally saw a chance for her to finally occupy her boredom. She quietly slipped down from the couch and made her way to the bookshelf.

 

Her eyes scanned and she saw a book titled:  _Photo Album_ , and gripped her little fingers against its spine and pulled the heavy book out.  ** _PLOP!_**

Maui turned his head to the sound of a light  ** _thud_**  coming from his left. There was Tala sitting on the floor with the opened photo album in front of her. He raised an eyebrow and whistled to gain her attention, "Hey Tala, think you're strong enough to bring that over here so I can see them too?"

“Yeah!” Tala said before she closed the book, lifted it up, and carried it all the way back to the sofa. Maui took the book off her before he scooped her back up on the couch and opened the book as Tala nestled herself on his lap. Hina immediately paused the movie the very second she saw that the photo album was out and turned her head to glance at it as they started flipping through the pages.

“Look! That’s me!” Tala pointed at one of the aged photos.

Maui chuckled and said, “Nah kiddo. That’s your mom when she was your age.”

"She looks like me," Tala added tilting her head to the side.

“I think it’s the other way around pumpkin." Maui told her with a lopsided smile as he glanced down at his five-year-old daughter with proud eyes as he corrected softly, “ _You,_  look just like her.”

Tala looked up and gave her father a quick toothy smile before she looked down at the photos and then pointed to the group photo of her mother hugging another girl. “Who’s that?” She asked.

Maui glanced at the photo she pointed at and took a deep breath, “That’s Moana.”

Hinatea drew back in confusion as she retorted, “ _The social worker?_ ”

“Yep.” Their father replied.

Tala’s confusion became apparent as she looked up at her father and asked, “She and Mommy knew each other?”

Maui nodded his head softly before he began to turn the page.

“No!” Tala protested before she put the page down and continued looking at the photo.

Hina, on the other hand, said, “ _ **Ummm**..._  that’s  _really_ weird.” Maui turned to face his oldest daughter with a confused look on his face. Hina gave her father a blank stare as she raised an eyebrow before she pointed out, “Don’t you think it’s  _fishy_  that they’d send Mom’s  _friend_  as our social worker?”

He was shocked by her advanced cognition and the way her thoughts processed the situation. She wasn't wrong, in fact, she hit the nail just right. Their whole situation was very  _fishy _—__

Hina then continued, “It’s just like what happens on TV _—_ ”

Maui rolled his eyes and then reminded her, “Well, we’re not on TV,  _are we?_ ”

His eight-year-old sighed and replied rolling her eyes, “ _No…_ ”

“Exactly.” Maui added before he turned to Tala and asked her, “Can I turn the page now?”

Tala immediately nodded her head and Maui turned the next page where more photos of Lani and Moana's childhood memories laid imprinted for them to see.

Then the photos of their mother’s parents came next. Tala looked confused and Hinatea had some inkling of these people _—_ these strangers within their family. Hina looked up at her father and then asked, “Daddy? Why’re they trying to take us away?”

Maui took a deep breath and then closed the photo album and said, “All right, that’s enough for tonight. Let’s just finish Lilo and Stitch first, okay?”

He glanced at his two daughters and smiled when both nodded their heads at the same time. Maui put the album aside on the coffee table and reached over for the remote before he pressed play and resumed the film.

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

Halfway through the movie, Tala had crawled over to her sister's side of the couch and nestled her tired head on Hina's lap and closed her sleepy eyes. Maui stopped the film, turned off the TV and turned to see Hina sleeping in a sitting position with the back of her head pressed against the back cushion. He shook his head while he chuckled at the sounds of his daughters' snores and stood up before he went over to pick up from the couch.

Hina slept like a log, but Tala stirred for a quick second before she fell right back asleep with her head resting on his right shoulder as he carried them both up to their bedroom.

Maui carefully laid his two daughters in their bed and slowly tucked them in. Tala clicked her tongue for a second and smiled as he pulled the blanket up to her chin. She then shifted and turned to lie on her left side.

He smiled before he gave Hina’s thick curly head a soft ruffle and a fatherly goodnight kiss to Tala’s right temple.

 

The family moment was interrupted by sudden loud intruding continuous knocks coming from the front door. Maui’s adrenaline kicked in and he immediately felt himself going into alert mode as he slowly made his way toward his daughters’ bedroom door as the invasive knocks kept going. 

"Daddy?" One of his daughters' called out. He quickly turned around and saw his eldest daughter standing there.

Maui to his fingers to his lips signalling her to keep quiet and instructed, "Stay in your room, lock the door and  _don’t come out_  till I tell you to.”

Hina quickly shut her bedroom door and Maui heard the lock to his daughter’s room  ** _click_** _._

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

Tala quickly sat up in bed with confused eyes as her big sister dashed over to their side of the bed and climbed on before she grabbed her arm and pulled them down to the other side of the double bed. Hina pushed her underneath the bed frame and crawled in after her.

“Where’s Daddy?” Tala whispered.

Hina shushed her and told her, “Quiet Tala, I can’t hear.”

**_CRASH!_ **

Tala couldn’t contain her fright anymore and immediately reached over for sister as the tears started raining down her cheeks, what at the same time Hina wrapped her protective arms around her little sister and bit her lower lip while she tried hard not to sniffle as her own frightened tears silently rolled her down her face.

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

Maui quickly moved out of the way from the path of his front door as he fell on the ground having been kicked off its hinges. A few seconds later the perpetrator made himself known by stating with a disgusted remark in his voice, “ _Jeez,_  bro, you need to buy yourself a better door. No wonder I could bloody well kick this stupid thing off.” Nikau stood in the doorway shaking his head.

“What are  _you_  doing here?” Mau asked as he put his kitchen knife down on the nearest table he could find, “ _How_  did you find  _my house?_ ”

His brother held a pile of envelopes that were addressed to their mother. Nikau read the first one, “From  _Maui_ _Tuputala_.” Before he threw the envelopes down by his feet as he began to take slow but commanding steps toward Maui, keeping his posture tall and strong. A signal that he, Nick Tauheke despite being at least a foot shorter than Maui himself, was the big dog—the alpha in Maui’s house.

“So you’ve taken Mum’s last name have ya?” Nikau began, “Or did you forget where who you  _really are_.  ** _Huh_** _?_  Think you’re better than the rest of us,  _hey?_ Standing ‘round here is this  _huge_  bloody castle living like bloody  _lady muck_  while the rest of our lot sits ‘round squabbling for  _bloody scraps._  ”

Maui couldn’t believe  _this_  was happening, “ _What are you doing here?_  This is  _my house _—__ ”

“Hey!” Nikau shouted silencing him right there, “You’d better watch that mouth of yours,  _DO YOU HEAR ME?_ ”

Maui instinctively drew back from his thirty-seven-year-old brother Nikau in complete shock, before he remarked and for a minute he felt like he'd revert back to being a four-year-old boy, shaking and quivering as he listened for the inevitable  _discipline_  their father would inflict on their mother, whenever she’d angered him. “You sound just like…  _Dad._ ”

Nikau scoffed and told him, “I don’t know what those  _wankers_ told you. Sitting on their high asses, stealing kids from their mothers—tearing whole bloody families apart ‘cuz we got a few problems?  _What family doesn’t?_ ” He took a deep breath and added, “Yeah, our old man was  _hard around the edges_  most of the time but he was a good man. He taught us lot howda be  _tough_. Remember?” Nikau then rolled his shoulders back and replied, “Anyway, sorry ‘bout your door. I’ll fix it in the morning.” Maui raised an eyebrow as Nikau told him, “Now be a good brutha and show me to my room, will ya?”

 

Maui took a deep breath and told him, “You can’t stay here, Nikau _—_ ”

“There you go again, acting like you’re one of ‘em. Wha’cha call them here…” Nikau then started snapping his fingers like some sort of mantra as he tried, “Oh yeah,  _Haole _—__ ”

“STOP.” Maui cut him off, waving his arm right in front him in a chopping motion, “First off, I thought you booked a room in the hotel.  _Second off,_  you can’t stay here. All right? I have  _way_ too much on my plate right now, and you’re the last thing I need okay?”

Nikau bobbed his head left and right as he glanced at his younger brother with obvious indifference to his words as he stated, “Yeah, I heard from Mum. She read the whole article in paper…” He paused for a moment and gave his brother a slow sympathetic shake of his head before he continued, “Your woman was one  _fine lady_  giving up her life for that poor kid down there at the beach, during that storm. Not a lotta people have that kind of courage.”

Maui felt the grief stabbing his beating heart and for a moment Nikau expression still remained somewhat sympathetic toward his brother’s feelings.

He took a deep breath and continued on, “But it’s been  _three bloody months_ , bro. Don’t ya think it’s ‘bout time to get over that and go find yourself another woman—y’know? Your little ones, Hana and what’s her name. They need  _a Mum_.”

Maui crossed his large, well tone tattooed arms over his chest and asked with an unamused tone in his voice, " _So_ … you basically came here to boss me around?”

“Hey? What are brothers for? I only have your best interest at heart.” Nikau replied, "Besides, I never actually booked a room at that hotel of yours. I just came for a couple of cold ones, brutha. But the drinks there…” Nikau let out a wince and shook his head, “They were  _weak as._  You got a couple of strong ones here, don‘cha?"

“ _Nope._  I got nothing but soda.” Maui replied much to Nikau’s dismay.

His brother scoffed, “What’re ya?  _A kid?_ What kinda bloody adult drinks  _fizz?_ ”

Maui narrowed his eyes before retorted, “A  _responsible_ one, all right? I have two kids under the age of nine—”

“So what?” Nikau replied with a dismissive shrug of his shoulders, “If they get lippy on you, just give ‘em a good smack on the mouth, eh, that’ll teach ‘em. Come on Little _t_ _ikitiki_ **,**   _You only live once_.”

Maui stood there and told firmly, “ _NO._  What’s  _wrong_ with you? I’m not going to put  _my daughters_  through that.  _Ever._ ”

Nikau gave him a disgruntled scoff and said, “ _Fine._  But don’t bloody come crying to me when you get pushed around.”

 

Maui rolled his eyes and sighed. Part of wanted to kick him out _—_ but another part of him… integrated with years and years their mother's parents spent raising him under the culture of  _Fa’a Samoa_. He still could hear their maternal grandmother’s words, lecturing him on the importance of their Samoan heritage and hospitality towards their guests.

Finally, he spoke, “You can stay here as long as you need… but, we’re going to have to cover some ground rules. Number one,  _no alcohol_. Number two, when I tell you to leave the house  _you leave_. Number three, Watch the language. I have minors in  _my house_  and don’t them picking up any of your  _choice words_. Okay _?_ ”

Nikau scrunched his lips to one side for a moment and looked up at his brother in the eyes for five straight minutes, part of interested to see just how strong his will was; then Maui narrowed his eyes.

“ ** _Whoa_** …” Nikau said partially feigning his apprehension before he replied with, “You drive a hard bargain.” And held his hand to Maui. His younger brother’s eyes shifted to his hand and then back him. “ _Relax will ya?_  I’m not gonna tear your hand off by the wrist—it’s just a handshake.  _Promise._ ”

Maui reluctantly shook his older brother's hand and with that, the terms were set.

“Cheers bro,” Nikau replied before he reached down to grab his bag from the ground. Maui's large hand reached it before he ever could.

“I got it," Maui replied before he slung Nikau's duffle bag over his shoulder. Nikau then followed his brother out of the living room and down the hall.

Maui’s voice was then heard saying, “You owe me a new door.”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

An hour later, after Maui had gone up, reassured his daughters that the coast was clear and tucked them back into bed. The two long lost brothers sat down drinking two cans of soda as they caught up on the last twenty-six-years since Maui was fostered first by their maternal grandparents in Samoa till he was eleven. Then he was fostered by their mother’s brother and his family in New Jersey from eleven till eighteen. From there, he returned to American Samoa and cared for their widowed grandmother till her death a year later, and then on. He chose to remain in American Samoa… until he met Lani and Moana.

 

“So, you ended up in foster care for the first year or two?” Nikau asked him just to be sure.

"Yeah," Maui replied, "Well, lucky for me, Grandma Teuila and Grandpa Tupe came to my rescue. Then Uncle Laki came after Grandpa died.”

The two brothers then shared a moment of silence for their mother's deceased parents, as the topic was a rather sore subject from them both. For Nikau, it was because he'd never had the chance to meet them, and for Maui, the reasons were far more personal, their grandparents had been good people who were both strict but patient when it came to his shortcomings. In a way, Maui was left wondering how could their mother have fallen so blind  _in-_ _love_  to end up with a man like their father?

 “What are ya thinking ‘bout?” Nikau asked.

“Mom and Dad.” Maui answered, “Y’know I still talk to Mom, but I haven’t heard  _anything_  about—”

“The Old Man?” Nikau said cutting him off, “He’s still around, but he and Mum split some… twenty years ago. You remember our sis?”

Maui felt a sudden heaviness whenever she was mentioned.  _Aroha_  was her name _—_ _love_  was what it meant and she embodied it well, but for reasons unknown _—_ or what he didn’t want to picture, she ended up  _passing away_  at fifteen. “Yeah?”

“That was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Mum.” Nikau began telling him as genuine sadness flashed before his eyes while he fixated his gaze on the soda can before him, “Can’t say I don’t blame her. ‘roha was a good girl.”

“Yeah.” Maui agreed, “I remember she used to read to me at night, but then she just  _changed_  overnight.” Nikau unintentionally crushed the aluminium can in his grip _—_ he  _knew_ exactly why Aroha did what she did, all their older brothers knew, their mother knew and their father too… and what a mess that was.

“You wanna know what happened to her?” Nikau asked him.

Maui took a deep breath and shook his head, “Nope. She’s in a better place now and that’s all that matters to me. Besides, I think she’s living inside all of us— _Hina_  especially.  _You_ are gonna get the shock outta your life when you meet her. She looks just like Aroha.”

Nikau scoffed at that and said, “Well, let’s just hope it’s just her looks. Now, tell me the story ‘bout you and this Moana girl? What’s the history?”

Maui quickly looked down for a moment and said, “ ** _Uh_** _…_ well, Moana was my  _girlfriend_  before I… well ended up together with Lani _—_ ”

“You screwed up.” Nikau told him flat out, “I can see it in your eyes,  _jeez_ Maui _—_ Mum use to tell me, how’d you went on and on and on about this girl in your letters _—_ this so-called  _love_ of your life _—_ ”

“Yeah, she  _was_  the love of my life and now, she's the social worker assigned to my custody battle against my gracious  _ex-in-laws_.”

Nikau’s eyes went wide as he stared at his younger brother before he winced and uttered, “ _Oh…_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
>  List of Terminologies:  
>   
> Pekepoho: Maori for youngest sibling or last born.  
>   
> Tikitiki: Maori for Topknot, in this case, this was Maui's childhood nickname as reference to Maui-tikitiki-a-Taranga of Maori legend.  
>   
> 'A'ohe lokomaika'i i nele i ke pâna'i: A Hawaiian proverb which translates: 'No kind deed has ever lacked its reward.'  
>   
> Vaifala: A Samoan drink made with pineapple and coconut.  
> 


	4. He kehau ho`oma`ema`e ke aloha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeyyyy readers!  
> I'm not dead, but I've been extremely busy the past few weeks, and unfortunately, that's led to some delays in Chapter Four.  
> As you can see there will be no double uploads this time, and there won't be for a while. (I start college on the 7th)  
> So, Hinatea will be uploaded at a later date. 
> 
>  
> 
> Once again, I have to warn you and apologize in advance, that there are stereotypes in this chapter that could be offensive to some people.  
> If you're one of the people who does get offended easily, then turn away now.
> 
> This chapter has only gone through a basic editing process, so please be aware that there will be errors.  
> OOC warnings are on and prepare your tissues.

* * *

 

“Yeah…” Maui replied with a long a sigh as he started twirling his soda can with his fingers. Nikau took another sip and ignored the disgusting sugary favour that always seemed to leave an unpleasant artificial aftertaste in the back of his tongue. All of this didn’t feel right… true, some social workers do form close relations with the families they’ve worked with but not the other way around… not with Maui and Moana’s history.

 _‘Something fishy’s happening here.’_ Nikau could feel it in his gut and as far as he was concerned his gut’s never let him down… most of the time _—seventy-five percent_ of the time. Problem was, he didn’t know what was going on or whether or not Moana was trying to set Maui up for failure… and to be perfectly honest he’d seen how unpredictable women could be.

“You don’t think she’s trying to take your kids away from ya?” Nikau asked.

Maui flinched and stared at him in shock, “No _—_ _where_ would you get an idea _—_ ”

Nikau pointed a knowing finger at him and stated, “I’ve seen women, bro. They’re ugly little chicks _—_ ‘specially when us gents done ‘em wrong _—_ ”

Maui narrowed his eyes at him and said, “Moana’s not like that, _okay?_ She wouldn’t do that to me or _Lani._ ”

“Lani’s dead, bro. The sooner you move from that the better—God’s sake _ti_ _kitiki_ , you keep babbling on and on about this Moana chick again, just get back together with her—”

Maui gave his older brother a flat stare as he stated, “She’s my social worker.”

“Says you.” Nikau replied as he leaned back against the chair with a know-it-all smile, “Y’know they say first loves are _the hardest_ to forget. Good luck getting her outta your head.” He then leaned forward, planting his elbows on his brother’s dining table and told him flat out, “I bet’cha you’ve started dreaming of her, hey? Ya can fool everybody ‘round you. But ya can’t fool your own your _tuakana_.” He raised both eyebrows once again expressed his arrogant indifference to the reality of his brother's situation. As far as he was concerned, Maui was and always will be a Tauheke. “You don’t even know what that means, do ya? You’ve spent too much time away from your _whānau_. You can’t even remember how to speak _Te Reo_.”

“I’m Samoan in spirit, okay? I’ve always have been and I always _will be_.” Maui told him flat out after he rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief before he started twirling his soda can between his fingers. “Look Nikau, _why_ are you here? I mean I haven’t seen you in twenty-four years and all of a sudden you just _show up _—__ ”

Nikau let out a deep long sigh before he leaned back and told him, “Our old man sent me to find you. Y’know just to extend an olive branch; he wants to see the girls _—_ getta know the grandkids and all that. He wants ya to come home, back to _Aotearoa_. Where you _belong_.”

Maui massaged the bridge of his nose and told him, “Look I have _three days_ to prove to Moana that I’m a capable parent, and if I fail I’m gonna lose my girls and _I can’t let that happen_. I can’t let my daughters go through what their mother went through, all right? Lani’s parents are _crazy_ and I mean _kooky-dooks_ crazy.”

“If they’re lost in their rocker then how in the bloody hell are these people lettin’ them take _your girls_? If I were you, I’d knock their bloody teeth in and tell ‘em to stay the hell away, and if they don’t get the message I’d kick ‘em right across the room.”

Maui let out a scoff and pointed, “ _Oh,_ you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve wanted to do that, especially after all the garbage they put Lani through.”

“ _Like what?_ ” Nikau asked.

“Well, brace yourself,” Maui told him, “‘Cause this is gonna be a _long_ story.” He took a deep breath and remarked, “Well, I might as well start from our wedding…”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

_He and Lani grasped their hands together by the edge of their fingers tips. They gazed at one another and Lani felt warm flutters in her stomach when The Kahuna walked over before them and present them their leis. Maui took her lei first and lowered it over her head and down to her shoulders. Lani then reached over for his maile. Maui leaned forward while she was in the process of draping the closed end lei over his head and around his neck when she heard Moana or one of her bridesmaids gasp. Lani then saw her mother standing there, instead of wearing the dress she wanted her to wear, her mother choose to wear a long-sleeved, funeral style black dress completed with a semi-transparent mourning veil._

_Lani felt herself growing smaller and smaller and part of her wanted to find a hole she could hide under from the shame as her mind tried to play back everything that happened prior to the wedding and what did **she** do to make her mother act like this? _

_Unbeknownst to either of them, Maui saw the triumphant smirk on his soon-to-be mother-in-law’s face, and her motives became clear. She was actually **enjoying** this—she got a kick in making her own daughter miserable, and what a way to make his future wife feel so low than pulling this sort of stunt on her wedding day. He’d seen signs the first time he’d met them but he didn’t want to think that any parent would behave this way, but now he was ready to rip his soon-to-be mother-in-law a new one. Then he felt Lani’s fingertips curl up against his from the tension, he slowly turned back to face her and saw that Lani had clearly retreated to the safe place inside her mind. _

_  
_   

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Maui let out a long sad sigh as he said, “Lani… she was so far within herself she couldn’t even remember _anything_ that took place. Not the vows, or even when she put my _lei_ around my neck.”

Nikau stared at him, this time with full-blown sympathy and a frown on his lips as Maui continued with a despondent look on his face, “Luckily her uncle helped us hire somebody to film the ceremony,” He closed his eyes, clutched the wedding ring pendant around his neck and said, “But even then it was really hard for her to watch, and _she apologized_ to me for letting her mother get to her and ruining our wedding day, but eventually she _remembered_ that she wasn’t responsible for her mother’s actions.”

 

Nikau actually smiled to hear that as he nodded in approval, “Good to know the old bat didn’t bring her down _—_ ”

Maui looked up at his older brother and said, “ _Oh…_ she knew that too, so she decided to up her ante during the reception… and man did she really _up her ante_.”

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

_An hour later,_

_The ceremony came to an end and the reception could finally begin._ _Lani’s mother had unexpectedly left, but not without reassuring everyone there that she’ll be back after she’ll change into a more appropriate attire._

_Maui was trying to calm his new wife down when Moana walked over them. Concern was written on her face as she approached them both and asked, “Maui, do you have a minute?”_

_Maui took a deep breath and turned to Lani for a moment, silently asking her permission with his gaze. She nodded, and he followed Moana out of the main reception hall to the entrance._

_"Maui, before you say anything, let me make this perfectly clear." Moana began before she turned around to face him as she black three-inch heels pressed against the grass. "I'm doing this for Lani, and her alone._

_He took a deep breath as he swallowed his disappointment, but what more could he expect? They were over. He screwed up **twice** , and in six months time, the very proof of his screw up will come into the world. _

_Moana crossed her arms over her chest before she took a deep breath and said, “You know Lani as well as I do and you know, there’s no chance she’ll ban her mother from attending her wedding…” She paused as a hard shadow cast over her eyes. Maui knew what was going through her mind—she was fighting internally with herself, culture versus personal morals._

_He understood that fight too; they grew up in cultures that commanded respect for your elders; grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, older siblings and older cousins, and community above everything else._

_But, Lani’s parents _—_ her mother, didn’t fit in with the norm. She was nothing like her mother or normal mothers Moana had seen. She wasn’t kind, supportive or loving. In fact, Lani’s mother was flat out evil in her eyes, and her father wasn’t any better. _

_Which was why she had to do something, and why she couldn’t let Lani know what she was planning._

_She looked up at Maui and told him, “I have a plan.”_

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Nikau let out a low wolf-whistle as he remarked, “I’m starting to like the sound of her already.”

Maui chuckled, “Yeah, she was _—_ _is_ a smart one, and I gotta admit I didn’t see her stunt next coming.” Nikau leaned forward in his seat and appeared to be genuinely interested to hear more about Moana's plan. 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

_Lani was still sniffing by the time they came back. Maui immediately walked over to their assigned seats and sat down beside her. "You okay?" He asked. Lani slowly nodded, and he put his arm around her. “Don’t worry, everything’s gonna be fine. I promise.”_

_She turned and looked up at him, flashing a grateful smile on her face and the butterflies started fluttering softly in her stomach. Lani looked into his eyes and saw nothing but compassion in his gaze._

_The motions were starting… at least for her. She knew the main reason this wedding happened was that he wanted to do right by her, and she was sure that the only reason. It had to be, it couldn’t because she was beautiful or kind or smart._

_She was **never** those things and every time people tell she was those things it was because she was putting up an act—to trap them and once they saw the horrible person she **truly** was deep down, then she’ll be treated the exact way she **deserved** to be treated._

_A few seconds later she felt Moana’s arms around her, and Maui lifting his arm off her shoulders, and just like she used to do in their childhood, Lani immediately clung to her for support._

_Moana hugged her tight, and she and Maui exchanged a secret glance, and he gave her his nod approval to carry on with her plan when the time came, and that time came ten minutes later._

_By then Moana and Lani’s cousin Aimata managed to calm her down and touch up her make-up, when Lani’s mother finally returned this time, through a side door, where she could make her grand entrance without being caught._

_She did change like she promised… but the outfit she picked out was anything but **appropriate**. To put it simply, the dress Lani’s mother had changed into a white dress that was the same style and color as the bride's, and to add insult to injury, she also came in holding an identical bouquet in her left hand. _

_Once again, the sight left almost everyone who saw her completely mortified for words. Moana **almost** saw red, but quickly snapped back to reality once she saw Maui stood up, ready to confront his new mother-in-law. _

_Lani grabbed him by the arm and begged him, "Maui, don't, j–just ignore her. **Please**.” _

_Moana saw Maui ease up just a bit before he sat back down in his seat. She looked up at him and he gave a soft nod, telling her to back down for now and wait **if** his mother-in-law would act out even further._

_She slowly turned to where her parents were sitting, her father had a dark shadow over his eyes while her mother sat there in complete shock before she turned and gave Lani a sympathetic glance._

_Lani’s mother strode over with such tact and grace, people would’ve thought she was the bride attending her own wedding, and Lani’s father seemingly appeared embarrassed but he carried on following his wife’s bidding._

_Lani’s mother grabbed a chair from her assigned table and carried it all the way toward the bride and groom’s table before she tried forcing her way in-between Maui and Lani, so she could sit center stage._

_And that’s when Lani felt she had to say something, “Mother please stop, you had your way at the actual wedding, isn’t that enough?”_

_Her mother stared at her with empty soulless eyes for a moment before she started her tactful huffing and puffing. Lani knew that look anywhere, she was about to start something… and that's when her suddenly of courage quickly cooled off, but she must've had an expression her mother didn't like because the next thing her mother said: "Get that sobbing look off your face or I'll **give you** something to cry about.” Then she lifted her hand up in a slapping position and Lani quickly flinched._

_That’s when Lani’s Uncle—her elder brother slammed his hands on the table beside them and told her enough was **enough** and reminded her that she and her husband weren't footing the bill for the wedding. He and his wife, Waiola were, and if they didn't want to act right, they could leave. _

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

Maui jolted back to reality when he heard Nikau clicking his tongue in disappointment and said, “You should’ve put ‘em in their place, bro.”

“Can’t, they’re my elders, and I _know_ elders are meant to be respected in _your culture_ as well.” Maui pointed out.

“ _Our culture._ ” Nikau corrected, “You’ve got Tauheke blood flowing through your veins _—_ ”

Maui then scowled and told his older brother once more, “My name is _Tuputala,_ alright? I stopped being a Tauheke when I was six, _remember?_ ”

Nikau scoffed at that, “Maybe in name Maui, but not in blood, and that makes you a Tauheke as it does make you a Tuputala.” He paused for a moment just to end the subject before he said, “Right, enough of that! So, tell me more ‘bout your wedding day? What else did they do?”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Seven A.M, the next morning, 

Moana was sitting on her desk typing an email to Hina’s elementary school counsellor when the door opened, revealing the department’s secretary informing her that the supervisor wanted to see her.

The twenty-nine-year-old woman let out a sigh before she pushed herself away from her computer table and stood up.

She followed the secretary into her supervisor’s office and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Her supervisor called in from inside. Moana grabbed the doorknob and turned it to the right before pushing her way into a medium sized gray room with a polished wooden oak desk, two leather guest chairs placed right in front of the table where the clients would sit.

 Moana walked over to the simple lumpy gray couch set on the right side of the room, just beside the door. This was where her supervisor would ask her Hawaiian workers to sit. Back when they were more Hawaiians working in this office.

But within the past month, since Ms. McArthur took over as Supervisor, she’d fired nearly all of the Hawaiian employees and replaced them with English and American employees.

 And for her former local employees who again tried to reapply were met with suggestions to take up cleaning or even _janitor_ positions to work alongside Nana Hoana, the department’s seventy-year-old cleaning lady.

“ ** _Ah_** , Moana.” Ms. McArthur called out from her desk before she unexpectedly pointed to the guest chair on the left side of her desk. Moana immediately raised an eyebrow and fought to keep her expression professional, despite her supervisor’s strange gesture. She walked forward and pulled the chair out before she went in and sat down.

“ _Well_ ,” Ms McArthur began, “I’m surprisingly _impressed_. This is the first time I’ve seen your kind _—_ ”

Moana raised an eyebrow and inquired, " _My kind?_ ”

“ _You bro _—__ ”Ms McArthur blurted out before gave her a nervous laugh, “I mean… _Islanders_. I’m just surprised with your use of advanced vocabulary _—_ I had no idea you were fluent in American.”

“Do you mean _English?_ ” Moana asked while hiding that she was, in fact, _correcting_ her.

Ms McArthur responded by forcing a smile and let out another chuckle for a moment, “Let’s just move on straight to the point, **_hmm_**? 

Moana sat there calmly despite the fact that she was seething inside. _This_ was the very behaviour that led her to believe there was something _ugly_ working behind the curtain as her supervisor sat there _performing_ as she replied with a very cordial, “Okay.”

Ms McArthur gave her that same _too genuine_ smile stretched out on the corners of her lips and she leaned forward as she intertwined her fingers together. “And you’ve been keeping touch with Gina’s _—_ ”

“ _Hina_ _._ ” Moana corrected as she gave her supervisor a sharp pointed stare.

“Hina _—_ ” Ms McArthur said with an uncomfortable cringed, “Yes, Hina… _Thank you._ So, you’ve been keeping touch with her school counsellor?”

 _Finally_ , _they were getting somewhere_. More importantly, the sooner she could get this interrogation done the sooner she'll be able to help Maui win this fight. So she could help _him._  

 _  
All of this was for_ **_him_** _._

For that brief moment, she felt her all of her rational thinking flying out the window and she felt the deep penetrative claws of her buried heart _ripping_ through her hard shell _—_ breaking her wall of professionalism like a fragile little egg just _waiting_ to crack _—_

“Moana!” Ms McArthur barked. Moana snapped out of her trance with a jump. She finally realized _where_ she was, and took a deep breath to stop herself before little _tiny_ parts of real herself would _slip out_ _._

“Sorry.” Moana replied politely and sincerely, “Do you mind repeating that?”

“What I _was saying_ , is that I want you to go over to his daughter’s school and I want you to get the counsellor’s opinion, ” She then took off her glasses and waved it pointedly at her, “ _Not,_ what was discussed between them _—_ ” 

Moana’s lips slowly formed a thin straight line, once again she tried hard to keep her facial expression neutral despite feeling like she sitting and _allowing_ herself to be patronized by somebody _—_ _no _—__ not just _somebody_ … her supervisor. Her supervisor would love nothing to find _any reason_ no matter how small to give her pink slip.

“Do you understand?” Ms McArthur asked her with a shaky civil tone.

Moana nodded her head and then asked, “When do you want me to see Hina’s counsellor?”

Ms McArthur had a sickly sweet smile on her face as she said, “As soon as you can. The sooner _the better._ ”

Moana nodded again and requested, “May I go now?”

Ms McArthur quickly nodded her head before she went back to typing important emails, progress reports and classifying the severity of cases as Moana stood up and got ready to leave.

  
"Oh, Moana!" Ms McArthur called out to her in a sing-a-long voice. The twenty-nine-year-old social worker stopped in her tracks and slowly whirled around to face her boss, “I want you to visit schedule a visit with Mr Tuputala before your visit with the school counsellor.”

Moana felt her heart skip a beat and that familiar sense of dread overcame her, the same dread she’d felt since the day she found out she’d been assigned the case. Part of her wanted to protest that she’d _just_ visited them the previous day… but at the same time her gut was telling her not to go through with it; due to the fact that her whole career was hanging by a thread and with her gone, then the girls would never stand a chance.

 _She couldn’t let that happen._ Not with her best friend’s daughters. Not with _them_.

Moana left out a sigh of relief as she finally stepped back into her small office and walked straight to her computer where she resumed typing her email to Hinatea’s counsellor with every intention to schedule a meeting with her as early as possible.

Two minutes later she finished the email and clicked _send_. Finally, she leaned back against her desk chair and rested her head on the top cushion for a moment just to give her mind and body a bit of break.

She was _exhausted_ due to the disrupted periods of sleep she had for the past week. Not because of this case _—_ _although that was another factor _—__ but it was dealing with her own personal issues.

Nobody but her parents knew why she decided to move back here six years ago, and the main reason why she practically cut the Tuputalas from her life… and why she couldn’t even attend her best friend’s funeral.

That opportunity was _taken away_ from her and she _will never_ forgive the one man who robbed her of that precious moment.

 _Six years,_ that’s how long she had to hide away here in O’ahu, without even the chance of completing her degree or seeing her friend ever again.

Moana let out a long sigh before she straightened up in her seat. Her eyes then slowly drifted to the photograph standing on her desk and picked it up by the frame. A smile came to her lips as she gazed at the eleven-year-old photo of she and Lani posing in front of their favorite café. Moana put the photo down and reached for her phone.

She typed Maui's name on her iPhone's search bar and sent him a message.

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

   


Maui had just managed to get about an hour’s worth of sleep that morning after he and Nikau decide to finish catching up at around 6:55 AM. Truth be told Maui was already tired, several hours before… but he had to admit, it was nice reconnecting his brother again after so many years apart.

He could remember some good memories from those times. He could practically hear the sounds of their father’s guitar playing down the hall _—_ _a guitar?_  

His eyes shot open and in his shock, managed to roll off the side of his bed and fell. The back of his head _kissed_ the hardwood floor and left a _wonderful_ throbbing present where their two hard surfaces made contact.

Maui sat up with a long hissing wince as he rubbed the spot, where a bump was slowly starting to form.

 _‘Just great.’_ He thought to himself before he registered the sound of a man singing down the hall.

 

**_“Ka pioioi e_ **

**_Tohu aroha hāukainga—_ ” **

Maui barely remembered the song… but it did ring some familiarity with it.

“Right, now? You little chickies remember the _kapa haka_ moves I taught ya?" Nikau's voice echoed down the hall from the living room, and that's when Maui's heart fell into the pit of his stomach.

He got up and rushed over to his dresser put on his shirt and rushed out down the hallway. He swooped straight into the living room to the sight of his older brother sitting on the couch with a guitar, _the guitar Lani had bought him on his twenty-seventh birthday_ , and his two daughters doing some sort of tribal dance that seemed so foreign… and _familiar_ to him.

“Daddy!” Tala shouted as she got up and ran over to hug him. Maui smiled and lifted his youngest daughter up before giving her a gentle bear hug, which she gladly returned.

“Morning kiddo.” Maui greeted with a smile on his face. He felt her little fingers pressing against both sides to the edge of his neck.

“Morning Daddy.” She whispered before she slowly straightened up and then turned to their door-less entrance, “What happened to the door?” She asked.

“A pack of _giant termites_ came in large swarms…” Maui saw the look of pure anticipation on his five-year-old daughter’s face, and paused for dramatic effect, “ …and _ate it._ ”

Tala let out a surprised gasp before she said after she saw the proud smile as she stated with gentle, giggly, tone in her voice. “Daddy you’re silly. There’s no such thing as giant termites.”

 Maui chuckled and said as he lifted his daughter up in the air, “Alright, you got me there.” He then let out a playful growl and said, “It was a million termites that ate it all. Just like _this_.” Then he demonstrated by pretending to take several bites out of Tala’s belly.

His little girl giggled and tried pushing herself away and squealed before he said, “I’m just gonna gobble you up!”

“Papa, stop!” Tala cried out in laughter as she whacked him softly on the top of the head. Maui stopped with his horseplay and settled down.

Tala gave him a toothy smile and said giggling while she put her tiny hands on his cheeks, “You’re silly Daddy.” Before she rested her head against his shoulder and tried hugging his neck the best she could. 

His heart melted from pure endearment in his young daughter’s words, but a small pang of regret also tolled. Mornings like these had become a _very_ rare occurrence since Lani’s passing.

In fact, it felt like an eternity had passed since he was able to greet his daughters like this… part of him prayed for more moments just like this to come; where he could hold his daughters tight, make breakfast for all three of them, get them ready for school, pack their lunches… everything that a _complete_ family would do for each other. But that was nothing more but a wonderful pipedream that he could only _pray for._

“That’s some pretty choice _moko_ you got there.” Nikau remarked, “I was beginning to get worried you’d lost touch with your heritage.”

“It’s a _tatau_ _,_ alright?” Maui told him flat out, “Not _moko_ _… whatever_ that is?”

Nikau simply rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief as he muttered as he started strumming his fingers against the guitar strings, “Whatever _bro._ ”

Tala smiled as she pulled her head off her father’s shoulder as she stated, “I didn’t know you had a big brother.”

“Yeah!” Hinatea added, “How come you never told us?”

Maui stood there looking like a deer in headlights as he stared down at his eight-year-old daughter.

Nikau put his brother’s guitar down before he put his hand on his knee. He turned his sharp gaze to his younger brother. He waited till the count of three, deciding that three seconds was more than enough time for his _little brother_ to come up with an answer. “ _Oi Tikitiki!_ Your _tam_ _ā_ _hine_ asked you a question.” He shouted in a sharp voice, “Don’t just stand there gawking, my little _irāmutu_ just wants to know why you’ve been keeping secrets from her?” 

"Uncle Nick, why're you shouting at Daddy?" Tala asked him, "I thought you'd like him?"

Nikau looked up at his five-year-old niece all nestled up in her father’s arm and asked her, “Is that what your old man tells ya, Tala? Shouting means you don’t like somebody or you’re p _—_ _ticked_ off?” 

Tala immediately nodded her head. Nikau scoffed in amusement and shook his head while laughing in disbelief and sighed, “That’s what he tells ya?” He snorted to contain his laughter before he looked up at his brother and said, “You’re makin’ ‘em too _soft_ , bro—they ain’t gonna be prepared for _real life_ being wrapped in cotton wool _—_ ”

Maui let out a soft annoyed growl before he set Tala down, “Girls, I _need_ to talk to your Uncle Nick. _Alone._ ”

Hinatea picked up the tone in her father’s voice and knew that he meant _business_ and grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her out of the living room.

With his daughters gone, Maui marched over toward Nikau and pulled him out by the arm to the porch.

 

Once outside Nikau managed to pull his arm away from Maui’s and gave it a good shake. He looked over and saw a giant red _stinging_ imprint the size of Maui’s large hand forming on his upper forearm. “Jeez, that’s quite a grip you got there _—_ ”

“What do you think you’re doing?” Maui asked, his voice on the verge of shouting.

“Getting to know _my nieces_ , that’s what.” Nikau answered with a sharp tone in his voice, “They’re my flesh and blood too and I have a _right_ to know them. You’re bloody selfish you know that _—_ ”

“Stop! _Just stop!_ ” Maui ordered with his hand raised and his chest heaving with exasperation. He paced forward to put some distance between him and his brother and took a deep, _deep_ breath.

He turned around to face Nikau. “Look, I get they’re _your nieces_ , but they’re _my daughters,_ and… believe me, when I say this, I want them to get to know you, but right now I just _—_ ” 

Tala rushed out holding her father’s phone and announced, “Your phone buzzed Daddy.”

“Did it?” Maui chuckled before he bent down to pick her up. Tala squealed with laughter as her father lifted her off the ground, and singlehandedly took his phone out of her little hands.

 _1 New Message._ With a few clicks of a couple of buttons, Maui managed to open the message and a few seconds later his eyes widen.

It was a message from Moana… letting him know that she was coming over for another visit.

“Daddy?” Tala called out to him, “What’s wrong?”

“ ** _Uhh_** _…_ ” Maui uttered as he looked down at her with a puzzled look on his face, “Hey, I got a _great idea_ , how about you get ready so we can drop Hina off to school _—_ "

Tala looked up at him, completely confused as she pointed out, “Daddy… it’s _Saturday_.” He then scowled before he rubbed his hand over his face and massaged the bridge of his nose. _Wonderful._

“Are you okay?” Tala asked as she laid her hand on his cheek.

Suddenly Hinatea peered her head through the door and asked, chiming, "Hey Dad, since _it is_ Saturday… can Tala and I play in the park?”

Maui raised an eyebrow and replied, “Depends, have you done your homework, young lady?”

“No?” Hinatea replied.

“ _No?_ " Maui asked with a confused look on his face.

“Dad, I was home during lunchtime yesterday, _remember?_ ” Hinatea pointed out. Maui looked down at her with bewilderment before the realization suddenly hit him. _She skipped school_.

Tala immediately came to her big sister’s defence and said, “Aunty Waiola let her stay ‘cause she had a tummy ache!” Maui turned his gaze away from Tala and faced Hinatea once more.

He left out a soft sigh, “And you feel better today, Shark-bait?”

“Yeah…” Hina replied sheepishly. He rolled his eyes and decided to let it go, and then he set Tala down.

He smiled as he told his girls, “Alright you two get ready while I give Aunty Waiola a call.”

“ _YAY!_ ” His daughters cheered as they rushed back inside the house.

“Why not lemme take ‘em?” Nikau offered as he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

“ _No_.” Maui replied, “First off, my daughters _barely_ know you. Second off, Moana’s showing up and _you_ know the deal.”

Nikau slouched his shoulders and asked, “What, you trust me enough to vent ‘bout your missus’ _pōrewarewa_ parents, but you can’t trust me _—_ _their uncle_ with my own nieces?”

“What does that even mean?” Maui asked in confusion.

“What? _Pōrewarewa_?" Nikau asked before he explained, "It means crazy, insane," He then tapped his temple to demonstrate, " _Sick in the head._ You’re losing touch with your Maori heritage.”

Maui gave him a flat stare and raised a disinterested eyebrow and shook his head, "Whatever, look I don't feel comfortable with you _—_ "

Nikau raised his hands up replied, “Hey, I don’t mean any harm, I just wanna getta know my nieces, _promise._ ”

Maui rolled his eyes before he let out a reluctant sigh. His gut was telling him this was a bad idea—but at the same time, his upbringing got the better of him. This was his brother after all… and _family_ meant everything in their respective cultures.

 _They were family_ , and he deserved a chance.

“Fine, you can take them, on _one condition._ You can’t let them out of your sight for even _one second_ and most of all, _no bars._ Okay?” 

“Cross my heart.” Nikau replied with a seemingly genuine smile on his lips.

Maui warned him, “I _mean it_. I’m gonna give you _one chance_ , you screw that up, then it’s _game over_ , got it?”

Nikau sighed, “I hear ya loud and clear.”

   


**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

"Hey, Uncle Nick?" Tala began as she and her sister his hands as they all waited for the light to turn green on the zebra cross.

“What’s up Chickie?” Nikau replied.

“How come Daddy’s never told us ‘bout you before?” She asked.

“You’re gonna have ta ask him ‘bout that.” Nikau replied with a shrug of his shoulders, and then added, “But I can tell you girls ‘bout your other uncles if ya want?”

“We have other uncles?” Hinatea exclaimed.

“Yeah you do, and an aunt too.” Nikau replied with an astonished tone in his voice. The light went green and they marched along the crossing.

“What’re they like?” Hinatea asked.

Nikau smiled, “Well two of them are _group leaders_ , and the other went to some posh college, got a fancy degree and became a doctor.”

“What about our aunty?” Hina then asked. 

A sad, empty look washed over Nikau’s face as they finally made it to the other side of the street. Finally, he looked down at her then said with unusual gentleness, “Her name was Aroha and she was a _beautiful_ young lady. Kind, gentle, she had a lotta love to give.”

“Can we see her someday?” Tala asked him.

Nikau then informed, “Sorry Tala, she died a _long time_ ago.”

“How long ago?” Hinatea asked as she looked up at her uncle.

Nikau turned to look down at his eight-year-old niece before he answered, “When your old man was a couple years younger than you were.”

 Hinatea paused for a moment and then started counting with her right fingers and suddenly stopped before she looked up at her uncle. _Six,_ that’s how old her dad was when her aunt died, and now she wanted to know _why_ or _how_ did her aunty died _—_ but before she could even open her mouth to ask, there came the ringing of bicycle bells.  
 

“My friends!” Hina exclaimed before she ripped her hand away from her uncle’s, and rushed over toward Allison and her posse.

The trio all let out a frightened scream and desperately tried to cycle away, but Hina and Tala got in front of them, forcing her Allison to stop.

“What do you want?” Allison asked with an annoyed tone in her voice.

Hinatea then spoke out, “I’m sorry I bit you, and pulled your hair, and punched you in the face.”

Allison shook her head and replied with obvious venom before she leaned forward in a threatening manner, “Apology _not accepted_ , now get outta my way before I _run you over_.”

Suddenly Allison and her two friends screamed at the sight of Nikau walking over to stand behind his nieces and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Mornin’ kids,” He greeted the trio, “So, **_uh_** _…_ you’re friends of my nieces, hey?”

“ _That’s_ your uncle?” Allison jeered before she recoiled, “He’s the ugliest man I _ever saw_.”

Her two friends then chimed in, “ ** _YEEAAAAH_**.”

Nikau started bobbing his head, “Ugly? Okay, okay _,_ I might not be the _prettiest_ bloke on the block, but you girls wanna know what else is ugly?”

Without any warning, he pulled Allison’s bicycle up from under her and scooped up his two nieces up on the bike. “Friends who don’t know how to _share._ ” He gripped on the edges of the bike seat and rushed off, leaving Allison to cry on the pavement.

Nikau shouted, “Hinatea put your feet on the pedals!”

Hina put her feet on the pedals and started pedalling as fast she could. Tala grabbed her sister's waist and peeked her head out from behind her.

“That’s it, Hina, _that’s it!_ " Nikau chimed before he let go and watched her riding the bicycle with training wheels going down the street.

 

“ ** _WOOHOO!_** ” Tala cheered as she felt the wind in her hair.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

7:55 AM.

Maui took a deep breath and wiped the sweat off his forehead as he stared out at the doorway. What could he cover it with? He barely had time to think when he heard Moana’s car coming up the driveway. Knowing that he’d just ran out of time, he stood there by the entrance, _praying_ that mishap wouldn’t be enough of a reason for her to take his daughters right there and then.

_It couldn’t be… right?_

He heard her car door slam shut, and turned to face her. Moana looked up and gave him a polite nod before she climbed up the stairs, then she stopped and a perplexed look came over her face when she saw that his front door was _gone_. Maui gave her a sheepish smile.

“What happened?” Moana asked before she took her notebook and pen out.

Maui gave her a nervous chuckle and said with a shrug, “The hinges gave way…?”

She raised a skeptical eyebrow before she shook her and sighed, and wrote down the words ‘ _inconclusive residential mishap’_ on her notebook and closed it. “Shall we?” She asked.

“Sure _…_ " Maui replied nervously before he moved to one side and followed her in.

She had to admit, the house was cleaner than yesterday and she nodded her head in approval before she wrote this down in her notes. Then, she turned around to face him, "Well, aside from the missing door, I'm impressed. You managed to make your house look completely _new_ in less than twenty-four hours.”

Maui scoffed and said, “Well… actually, you gotta thank _Waiola_ for that _—_ I mean _—_ she _offered_ and… I couldn’t pass it out.” 

Moana rolled her eyes and muttered as she turned around, and continued on with her inspection. “Of course you expect other people to clean up your messes.”

“What’s that suppose to mean?” Maui demanded as he followed her into the kitchen as she continued on writing in her notebook.

 

“Where are the children?” She asked without even looking up at him.

Maui frowned for a moment and said, “At the park.” She turned her head toward him with a disapproving glance till he added, “Their uncle’s got them.” She seemed to believe that and then carried on with her inspection.

Though deep down a part her of hoped that they’d be here, so she could talk to them, one on one and see how they were coping with their mother’s passing _—_ _Lani’s passing _—__ the sharp pang struck her again when the other realization sank in. Here she was, in her best friend’s house… with one big piece of the puzzle missing.

“So… what did you mean by, I expect other people to clean up _my messes_?”

Moana rolled her eyes before she turned and stared at him, “ _Let it go Maui._ ” She replied.

“ ** _Uh_** _… No._ ” Maui retorted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

She shook her head and remarked, “You haven’t changed _one bit._ ”

“And you’ve changed _a lot_.” He retorted.

“Maui, I’m here to talk about _you._ ” Moana told him flat out before she shook her head for the third time, “Not catch up.”

“What happened to you?” He asked, “I haven’t seen you in _seven years_ and now you act like we’re total strangers.”

Moana looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, before she reminded him again, “Maui, I’m here to _work_. Just because we’re alone doesn’t mean this is time to talk about the ‘ _good old days_ ’.”

He pointed out, “I _never_ said that _._ ” She narrowed her eyes and ignored him before she moved to the kitchen and jotted down her observations when he asked her again, “So, what’d you mean by I expect other people to clean up my messes?” 

“Let it go, Maui,” Moana told him again as she finished up taking her notes, and moved on down the hall. She froze when she saw Lani’s picture hung up at the end of the hall.

She looked so happy standing there at the beach, pregnant with her second child and with Hinatea by her side. Seeing her late best friend smiling brought tears to her eyes and a deep shaky breath passed through her lips.

Maui walked over and stood behind her before he looked up at the enlarged photograph with a sad smile on his lips as he remarked, “That’s my favorite picture of her.”

Moana replied with a sad smile on her face, “She looks so happy _._ ” That’s how she wanted to remember her… bright, loved, and most of all, _at peace._  

Maui slowly nodded in agreement. “Yeah…” He replied before his fingers took a life of their own and he slowly clutched the petite wedding ring he wore around his neck. Moana slowly turned around as his necklace’s small chain jingled and saw he was holding something in the palm of his hand.

She slowly went over to stand on his left and saw Lani's wedding ring sitting in the palm of his hand. “You can’t get rid of it can you?” She asked in a soft voice.

“Nah,” Maui replied softly before he added, “I don’t throw out keepsakes.”

Moana rolled her eyes and remarked, “ _Of course you don’t_. That was one of the things that I loved about you back when…" She stopped herself for a moment and took a deep breath before she remained silent altogether. _‘Don’t even go there Moana.’_ She told herself.

It only took Maui one look, to know what was going through her mind and he continued for her, “Back when we were dating?”

The fingers of right hand went tense and slowly curled up, clenching itself into fists and she put her work face on before took a deep breath. The broken tension slowly oozed out between them.

In Moana's case, it was hidden anger and betrayal.

In Maui's case, it was guilt and regret.

But the question still remained in his mind. “What happened to us?” He asked.

Moana narrowed her eyes and said while struggled to keep the temper of out of her voice, “Well, for starters, _you_ did get Lani pregnant.”

His eyes went wide in recollection and then his defences went up before he retorted, "And I took responsibility for _that_.”

She shook her head and marched past him as she informed him, “That doesn’t change the fact that you _screwed up._ ”

 Maui then spoke out in his own, “It was an accident and if I remember correctly, Lani and I already apologized.” He followed her and said, “ _And,_ that was _eight years ago_ , when are you going to learn to let it go?”

She stopped in her tracks and that’s when she felt her hidden emotions bursting out. She whirled around and scoffed, “Let it go? _You_ broke my trust and you expect me to move _on_ and _let it go._ You expect me to give you my full _trust_ again after _all that._ ”

Maui took a deep breath and said to end the conversation, “You know what, forget I said anything _—_ ” 

“ _No_ ,” Moana cut him off, “You wanted to talk about it, now we’re talking about it.” She moved closer to him, “I trusted you, I _trusted her_. It took _everything_ I am to forgive you both, and it’ll take a lot more for me to _forget._ ”

She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to gather as much of her composure as possible. After a few minutes she slowly opened her eyes and took a deep breath, “I _can’t_ forget what happened Maui, I just can’t.” She paused and carried on, “You think this is easy? Being here and seeing _you_ again after all this time?”

Maui’s arms slowly fell and hung on his sides when she lowered her head slightly with her eyes closed. Neither of them wanted to be where they are, and yet their circumstances forced them to stand where they are today. He paid attention to her body language and saw her playing around with a white diamond patterned, braided blue fibre bracelet with small white plastic pearls sewn in the middle, in orders of three within every three inches between them.

He recognized that friendship bracelet anywhere. That bracelet was made to look like the same one Lani wore on her left wrist back when she was alive and was buried with.  
  


Moana took a deep breath and fought to keep sprouts of her grief from spilling out as she said with a shaky breath as she blurted out while she shook her head in reaction to her own selfishness, “And here I am bringing up…”

Being here didn’t feel right without her best _—_ _her sister_ around, and yet she told herself the grief she felt was nothing compared to the grief Maui felt. Lani might’ve been her best friend, but she was _his wife _—__ who was she to grieve for loss when his loss was far greater than her own?

She immediately wiped the tears that were spilling from her eyes, but they couldn’t stop no matter how hard she tried. Precious childhood memories started flashing _—_ moments of their twenty-six… twenty-seven-years of friendship?

It felt like a lifetime ago, and that was all she would have left. Over twenty-years worth of _memories_. But, that wasn’t enough… _that wasn’t enough_. _Not yet._

A few seconds later, she felt two strong arms holding in a warm-protective friendly embrace and she couldn’t hold it in anymore. “ _I miss her so much_ …” She whispered. 

“I know, _I know_ ,” Maui whispered.

 

  
**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  
Half an hour had passed, when Moana unsurprisingly found herself sitting on the far right side couch, clutching a used tissue in her hands, while Maui was fixing her something warm to drink back in the kitchen.

Ten seconds later, she heard his footsteps retreating back into the living room before he set a mug down on the coffee table. “You still drink chamomile, right?” He asked with an awkward tone in his voice before he sat down on the far left side of the couch.

Moana nodded, “Thank you.” She held the cup and took a slow sip.

“You’re welcome,” Maui replied with a polite smile on his lips. Moana turned to him, and the air between them seemed to clear, as a small grateful made its way to her lips before she took another sip of her tea. She put the cup back down on the coffee table, and that’s when she needed to address the elephant in the room.  


“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Moana replied.

“ _Hey,_ it’s okay.” He told her as she started shaking her head and telling him how it _wasn’t okay._

“Maui if anyone has the right to cry, it’s _you_ ," Moana told him as if it were a fact.

Maui put his hand on her shoulder, “ _It’s okay._ She was your best friend for twenty-six years _,_ and that’s a _long_ time.”

 Moana turned to him for a moment and said, “But you two were married _—_ ”

“For eight _._ ” Maui pointed out, “And if you wanna start counting, that’s _nothing_ compared to the bond the two of you shared.” She opened her mouth, but he cut her off. “We both loved her in different ways.”

The more she looked at him, the more she started to realize that he _had_ matured in some ways, in _good ways_ , and she couldn't help but remarked, “You changed _a lot._ ”

He smiled and replied as an obvious compliment, “And you haven’t changed one bit.”

Her smile widened, but the question still remained. “What happened to us?” She asked.

Maui replied with a small frown on his face. “Lani and I had too much to drink and I got her pregnant.”

Soon, whatever positivity that transpired between them sped off like a snap of the finger.

The two massaged the bridge of their noses for a few seconds while groaning with their mouths closed. Then, they both sat in silence without looking at one another. He took a deep breath before he turned to her and then concluded, “I guess it was better that way.”

Moana frowned and then came to the old realization, “Unfortunately.” Then she turned to him for a moment and said, “Thank you though, _thank you_ for giving Lani the love and happiness she’d always needed.”

Maui slowly turned to her as she reached for the mug, and once again saw that pang of mixed emotions in her eyes. Part of it was happiness that Lani had _finally_ found the love she’d deserved, another part of it was the dreaded _‘What ifs’_ for what could’ve been for them, and finally the last part was the notion of losing someone who’d been dear to them both.

“It wouldn’t have worked out between us, huh?" Maui suddenly blurted out.

Moana let out a sigh as she replied, " _No._ ”   


Soon his landline, a black AT&T CL2940 rang from the hallway.

He excused himself for a moment, went over to the hallway and walked over toward the telephone table, that stood near the guest room and looked at the caller I.D.

The words ‘PRIVATE’ started flashing on the screen. Maui frowned for a moment as he reached over and put the phone to his ear.

“Hello?” Maui greeted as his eyes shifted nervously. Much to his surprise, it was a female sheriff on the other line, “Yes, this is Maui Tuputala. Yes, I do have a brother named Nikau Tauheke.”

**_“Alright, sir, we’re to report that we have your brother and daughters here at the station, and your brother has been charged with infraction.”_ **

Maui blinked several times as his mind was trying to process the news, “I’m sorry, _what?_ ” He replied. His eyes started shifting for a few seconds later before they just stopped. Soon his eyes widened as she told him what happened.

Nikau had committed petty theft and was also charged with _child endangerment_ for letting Hina and Tala riding on a stolen bicycle _without_ proper protection.

His right hand slowly balled into a fist as he immediately became tense. He felt himself growing angrier by the second, and took a deep growling breath and said to the female sheriff as courteously as possible, “I’ll be right there, _thanks_.” He hung up and angrily marched back into the living room.

Moana immediately stood up at the sounds of his furious footsteps and saw him rushing over to his key bowl.

“Maui, what’s going on?” She asked as she quickly followed him.

He didn’t hear her as he grabbed his motorcycle keys from the bowl, and rushed out the door _—_ his mind and conscience were battling the urge to strangle the life out his so-called _caring older brother_.

“Maui!” Moana shouted hoping to get his attention, but to no avail. He got on his motorcycle, put his helmet on and quickly rode off.

She stood there, completely stunned by his actions for a few seconds. Then she snapped out of it and her eyes narrowed in determination. She raced down the steps, climbed into her car, and drove off after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **List of Terminologies:**  
>  Tuakana: Maori for 'older sibling.'  
> Pōrewarewa: A Maori term to describe a person or people who are mentally challenged, mentally ill or insane.  
> Tamāhine: Maori for daughter or young girl.  
> Irāmutu: Maori for niece or nephew.  
> Tatau: The Samoan word for Tattoo.  
> Moko: A Maori word that has two meanings. One, Ta Moko: 'Tattoo' in Maori. Two, Mokopuna which can be shortened to Moko and means grandchild.  
> Ka Pioioi: A Maori folk song.  
> Kapa Haka: A Type of Maori Haka that is used for entertainment or ceremonial purposes.  
> He kehau ho`oma`ema`e ke aloha: A Hawaiian Proverb that means: 'Love is like a cleansing dew.'


	5. Kahuna Nui Hale Kealohalani Makua (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey peeps!  
> Maaaannnn... this chapter is seriously long overdue! I'm so sorry, what can I say except #Real Life! (LOL)  
> But, it's finally here! And just to warn you this chapter WILL deal with very, _very_ sensitive topics, so if you get offended easily, then feel free to turn away now, or you can skip right down to the endnotes, for a special announcement.  
>  And I apologize in advance for any inaccuracies within in this chapter, as I've stated many times, I'm not of Polynesian descent, so most of the information I know it's all research-based, so if you spot anything inaccurate that you find offensive, please let me know, and explain what I did wrong? So that I can fix it! :)

 

 

* * *

 

8:55 AM,

Tala was swinging her legs on the bench inside Honolulu's Sheriff division within the Department of Public Safety, waiting till her sister was finished talking inside one of the officer’s office.

 Suddenly she heard the entrance open followed by the sound of her father’s voice. She jumped off and rushed over toward the entrance.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

  
 

 

Maui was standing at the front desk of the department ready to identify himself when he heard a little girl crying out, “Daddy!” He whirled around to the side and saw Tala racing toward him. He quickly got down on one knee and caught her when she jumped into his arms and hugged her tight.

He pulled away, but kept his hands on her shoulders, “You okay?” He asked.

“I’m okay.” She replied. He sighed in relief, gave her another big hug, and didn’t want to let go.

“Dad!” Hinatea shouted as she rushed over to her father and sister. Maui opened his arm to her and pulled her to join their hug. He picked them up as he held them in his arms and spun them around. His daughter cried out in excitement and surprise. He stopped and put them both down.

“You ready to head home?” He asked as he took their hands.

“Wait! Wait!” Tala shouted before she pulled her hand away from his and then pointed down the hall where he saw rows and rows of cubicles and office doors. “What about Uncle Nick?” She asked.

  
Maui opened his mouth to answer her question when one of the sheriff's brought Nikau over toward them. Maui took a deep low breath as he kept a firm hand on each of his daughter's shoulders, and stared at his brother with burning daggers in eyes.

Nikau nearly took a step back, and for once in life, he felt threatened and _scared_. He avoided Maui’s harsh gaze and instead turned to look down at his two nieces as they stood on each of their father’s side. Tala looked up and saw the angered look on her father’s face, and then turned to her uncle with confused eyes.

Meanwhile, Hinatea looked nervous, and he saw the dread of the consequences written in her eyes.

Finally, Maui was called to pay Nikau’s bail and _fine_ for the infraction. Maui took his hands off his daughters’ shoulders and followed the officer to one of the offices. Leaving Nikau alone with the girls.

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

Moana’s grip tightened on the steering wheel as she sat in her car, in the middle of traffic. Her eyebrows furrowed down in frustration as she’d lost sight of Maui some twenty minutes ago. He was good… he was _very good._ She looked over at the rows of cars in front of her and sighed. It didn’t look like the line would be moving soon.

She took the opportunity to check the time on her iPhone, _9:15._ A long sigh escaped her lips, once she realized that she had to see Hinatea’s counsellor in an hour and she had _no time_ to continue on with this wild goose chase, and see him again…  _tomorrow_. _Judgement day._

“Please… _please…_ don't mess up, Maui." She chanted with her eyes closed while her fingers squeezed the steering wheel. Finally, she looked up and saw that the cars had finally begun to move, and she was free to go.

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

It was five minutes to ten by the time she made it to the meeting area. Moana parked her car in the parking lot and quickly got out and locked her car before she headed toward the small café.

She opened the door and walked into the half-empty light pastel colored café. Her eyes slowly scanned the room for the counsellor. Suddenly, a young woman called her over from one of the crème colored booths.

She had dark thick curly hair, naturally tanned skin and a nurturing face, and like Moana, she was also of Polynesian descent, but her New Zealand accent gave her Maori heritage away.

The Counsellor stood up and smiled as Moana approached the booth, and the closer Moana got, the more she was surprised. For starters, The Counsellor appeared in her early twenties, and what fascinated her most was the faint resemblance she had to a certain _Maui Tuputala._

The Counsellor held her hand out to Moana, “Good morning.” She greeted and introduced herself, “I’m Aroha Tauheke,”

“Moana Waialiki.” She replied back before she sat down on the seat across her. She looked at the young woman before her and said, “I’m sorry for saying this, but you look rather young _ _—__ ”

Aroha gave her chuckled and replied "Oh no, that's alright, I've heard that a lot. I'm twenty-one actually." Moana's eyes immediately went wide in surprise, till Aroha explained with a light-hearted tone, "I already have my bachelor's degree and I'm taking a part-time internship for extra credits."

Moana nodded in understanding, “Good luck on your studies, Aroha.”

“ ** _Awww_** _,_ thank you.” Aroha replied with a genuine smile on her face before she asked, "Do you want to order anything for morning tea?"

“No thank you,” Moana replied. "Shall we get started then?"

“Oh…” Aroha went, “Well, I’m on an _internship_. Unfortunately, I’m not permitted to discuss anything with you.” Moana didn’t even bother to hide her bewilderment. Aroha then said while staring pointedly at someone behind her, "But she can."

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

  
10:55 A.M,

This was not a good day, _not at all._

First, Maui had to pay his older brother’s fine _and_ bail, and now he was an hour late for work.

He marched angrily through his exposed doorway with his daughters following behind him. The two girls watched as their father disappeared down the hall. The sounds of the guest room door slamming open quickly followed. Soon Maui appeared holding Nikau’s half zipped bag as he rushed outside, and then tossed it out into the driveway below, along with his car keys.

"Daddy stop!" Tala cried out once she realized what was happening. Hinatea grabbed her sister by the shoulders and held her in place. Hina put her arms around her shoulders, hugging her when they suddenly heard their uncle shouting outside.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

“What the hell, bro!” Nikau screamed as he marched up the two flights of stairs to his brother’s porch. Maui threw the last of Nikau’s clothes over the rails and quickly turned to him.

“ ** _Get out_** _!_ ” Maui screamed as he pointed at the dirt path down his driveway. Nikau threw his arms up in the air, “Where the hell am I suppose to go?”

Maui leaned forward, his large hands gripped his wooden railings as he shouted, “That’s not _my_ problem! Now get off my property!”

“C’mon bro, we’re _whānau _—__ ”

  
Maui leaned forward even more and told him, “Get off my driveway before I _call the cops_ and have your sorry butt shipped all the way to _Kiwi-land!_ ”

An insulted Nikau then shouted, “It’s  _Aotearoa!_ ”  

He looked up and saw Maui disappearing back inside the house. "Fine!" He shouted only loud enough for his ears to hear. He then knelt down and started gathering all of his things, unlocked his car door and tossed his bag and several fallen out clothes into the back seat.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

“Dad you can’t kick Uncle Nick out!” Hinatea cried, standing a few feet behind him as she stomped her foot on the floor.

Maui whirled around holding the phone in his hand, “He’s a _bad example_ and he hasn’t even been here that long anyway!”

“Neither have we!” Tala declared also stomping her foot as she stood strong in front of her father. “Mommy said, _Ohana_ is number one, and we’re all _family_ and if we help our _family _—__ ”

“ _—_ our _o_ _hana_ will help us.” Maui sighed, “I know, _I know._ I hate it when you two use _that_ against me.”

Hina and Tala stuck their tongues out at their father.

“Oh yeah, yeah, _real mature_ ," Maui remarked sarcastically before he reluctantly put the phone down.

Hina and Tala’s eyes immediately lit up, and the two asked with eager voices, “Is he staying?”

Maui crossed his arms over his chest and replied, “ _Fine._ He can stay.” No sooner did he say that all three of them heard the sound of his car engine starting up.  

Hinatea and Tala immediately rushed out the door and hurried down the steps to the porch. Maui quickly followed after them as he heard his daughters crying out.

"Uncle Nick! Come back, Uncle Nick!"

Maui got down to the driveway just in time, and quickly put his arms around his girls to stop them from chasing after the car as it drove away.

“Nick Uncle!” Hinatea shouted, hoping that her voice would reach him, but to no avail. She and her sister watched as the car sped off leaving a huge trail of dust in his tracks.

  
He felt an unexpected shove to his chest and immediately pulled his arms off his daughter’s shoulders. Hinatea was looking at him with angry tears in her eyes as she declared, “You ruin everything _._ ” She tore herself away from him and made a mad dash up the stairs to their porch and shouted, “ _I hate you!_ ” Before she rushed inside the house. 

Her words became the knife that stabbed his heart. He then felt Tala pull away from him too and watched as she raced after big sister, leaving him to kneel there with his hand planted on his face.

Another day, another blow. Another blow, another heavyweight for him to carry on his shoulders.

He took a deep shaky, sniffling breath and once again felt completely _helpless_ and incapable to be a good parent. How could he call himself a good dad if his own kids hated him?

_What could he do to be good enough?_

He pinched the bridge of his nose and felt the pressure caving in and his tears forcing their way through the corners of his eyes. Then he heard Nikau’s… not Nikau _—_ _their father’s_ harsh voice echoing from the far corners of his mind.

_“What? And you call yourself a man? **Men don’t cry**. **Little girls** do.” _

Maui took a deep breath and surprising the sound of his father's old-fashioned advice about _real manhood_ composed him enough. He slowly stood up and looked up at the sky, praying that somebody, _anybody_ could hear him up there.

“How can I fix this? _Tell me, how can I fix this?_ I don’t know what to do anymore…”

 

He felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and pulled it out. His co-worker's number was flashing on the screen and he ignored the call. He felt numb but forced himself to turn around, walk upstairs and get ready for work, and take his daughters with him.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Moana immediately stood up with wide eyes as a familiar woman approached them. Thirty-two-year-old Aimata smiled to see Moana standing there, and remarked, “I _knew_ it was you.”

A smile made its way to Moana’s lips as Aimata finally made toward the table and sat down next to Aroha, “Well I’m glad to see you two getting to know each other.”

Moana sat back down and remarked, clearly referring to Aroha, “And I’m glad to see another hard worker.” She then turned to Aimata and asked, “And it’s nice to see you again too.”

Aimata nodded in agreement before she asked, “So, shall we begin?”

Moana barely got a word out when the door to the café burst open, startling all who were there.

Aroha’s eyes widen when she saw _who_ stepped into the establishment. “Uncle Nick?” Nikau stopped in his tracks and quickly looked around the café, trying to find who called him.

She stood and asked, “Uncle Nick, whaddya doing here?”

Nikau finally spotted his eldest niece and remarked, “I’m here for a feed and a coffee, Girl. Wha’cha doin’ here?”

Aroha replied with a polite smile, “Studying, what about you?”

“ _Personal business_ , Little Miss.” Nikau replied with a warm smile on his face as he leaned his back against the counter, “Look at ‘cha. You’ve grown ‘lot since last time I saw ya. How’s yer old man?”

Aimata cleared her throat and turned to Aroha for a moment and said, “Aroha, I know he’s family but we still _work_ to do.”

“Oh… yeah, sorry.” Aroha replied sheepishly, “I’ll catch up with you later, Uncle Nikau.”

Nikau nodded his head once in acknowledgement before he turned around to face the barista and ordered his meal for the day, all the while he kept an ear out purely out of interest to know what his niece was up to?  
His eyes brightened up in realization when one of them _—_ most likely Aroha, uttered the name, _Tuputala_ , and slowly he turned his head toward the three of them at the table.

Aroha immediately apologized once she’d realized the slip-up, but Moana assured her that it was alright, Aimata nodded in agreement but then warned her to mind herself the next time.

 

Nikau kept his eyes on them for a moment and saw the sheepish look on his niece's face. Finally, he called the barista over and placed three more orders.

Two salads and two coffees for the two ladies, and two sausage rolls with a chocolate milkshake for Aroha.

 

   
  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

“So, how has Hinatea been coping with school?” Moana asked. Then the waiter came over, bringing three plates of food and drinks on a wooden tray.

Moana looked down in confusion as a plate of salad and a cup of coffee was placed in front of her. She looked up and saw Aroha looking at her uncle before she nodded her head knowingly.

Nikau nodded his head in acknowledgement before he sat down and started eating his plate of eggs, toast and bacon, and took a sip of his black coffee. He continued listening in as they continued on talking, and the more he listened the more he knew which family they were referring to.

Maui’s.

 _Bloody Maui’s_.

  
“So, she’s being keeping up with her studying then?” Moana asked.

“From what I can tell yes.” Aimata replied before she added, “But, I still think you need to talk to her father about possibly seeing a counsellor himself.”

Moana nodded and then wrote this down in her list of notes, when out of nowhere Nikau spoke out and said, “Maui doesn’t need to see a bloody quack, what he needs is a woman.”

All of them froze for a moment, and each of them turned to stare at him. Aimata opened her mouth but immediately closed it back up again. Aroha looked as if she wanted to say something, but held herself back. Moana, on the other hand, stood up and asked,

“How do you know Maui?”

Nikau raised an eyebrow and slowly turned the rotatable seat toward her and answered, “I know ‘im ‘cause I’m his brutha.”

 

 

**  
<III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  
  
“What?” Moana spoke out in confusion and shock.

Nikau nodded and replied, “I’m his older brutha.” He turned and saw the startled look on his niece’s face, “That’s right girl, the kid you’ve been talking to, she’s your cousin.”

She certainly wasn’t expecting…  _that_ _one._ It seemed too unbelievable to be true, and suddenly her expression fell flat as she stared at him, obviously unamused as she remarked, “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Nikau replied back before he slipped off the chair and strode over toward them.

Aroha stood up and said, “Uncle Nikau, now’s not the right time.”

Nikau then pulled out his wallet and continued approaching Moana before pulled out a grainy photograph. The portrait featured a family of eight, consisting of a Maori father, Samoan mother and their six children, taking up most of the cheap sofa in the background. 

Moana glanced at the youngest boy in the picture and her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets in shock. The thick curly hair, the nose and round eyes _—_ this was undeniably Maui.

"See this boy next to ‘im?" Nikau asked he pointed to the older boy sitting beside a three or four-year-old Maui. "That's me when I was ‘bout seven or nine? Who bloody hell cares." He pulled the photograph away from her fingertips and stuffed it back into his wallet.

“Why are you telling me this?” Moana asked.

Nikau looked her in the eye and said, “‘Cause I think he _shouldn’t_ keep his kids.”

She instinctively doubled-back in disbelief. She looked straight at him and responded with, “ _Excuse me?_ ”

 

Nikau explained, “He’s _too soft._ He’s makin’ his daughters _too soft._ At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if the girls kill themselves within the next few years. He’s got his head deadset on moping around over his _dead_ missis _—_ ”

**_SLAP!_ **

His head turned slightly from the impact. She stood in front of him, her right arm turned diagonally to her left—as her red handprint slowly started to form on his left cheek.

“Ma’am.” The barista called out as she quickly put herself between the two and kept her hands on Moana’s shoulders as she said, “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you _—_ ”

Nikau slowly turned his head to face her, pressing his fingers to his jawline, "Jeez, _woman _—__ ”

"I was going to leave anyway," Moana replied to the barista before she walked to the booth, gathered her things and walked out. Aimata stood up and left with Aroha following behind her.

Nikau turned as he watched them all walk out of the café and straight into the parking lot. He pulled out his wallet and handed it to the barista, telling her to keep the change as he rushed out after them.

 

  
 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

"Hey, _Lady!_ ” Nikau called out as he strode across the parking lot. Aroha slowly turned to the sound of her uncle’s voice, but Aimata put her arm around her and pulled her along. Nikau didn’t let out and called out, “ _Oi_ are you a _deaf chick_ or what?”

Moana rolled her eyes and whirled around, “I have a name and it’s _Moana_.” She replied fiercely as she looked him dead in the eye and pointed a threatening finger at him, “And don’t you _ever_ talk about _Lani_ like that again _._ ”

 

He stopped in his tracks and remarked, “You’re a strange one, girl. You still think ‘bout her as a friend _—_ ”

“ _Best friend._ ” Moana cut him off with a sharp tone. Then she strode and moved dangerously close to him, “I don’t know who you think _you are?_ But you have no right to _—_ ”

He raised his hands up in surrender, “ ** _Whoa, whoa, whoa,_** _L_ _ady._ I ain’t lookin’ for a fight, I’m simply expressin’ my concerns for my other nieces, _alright?_ And their father ain’t sound of mind _—_ ”

“I’m sorry… who are you again?” Moana retorted as she looked straight up at him and _informed him_ , “You don’t get a say in what I plan to do or how _I_ choose to judge the parent’s ability to raise their children.”

“Suit yourself.” Nikau replied, “But, I’m telling ya, he’s not a good father _—_ ”

Moana put her hands up motioning that she _didn’t_ want to hear it before she replied with, " _Good day._ ” And turned around to walk toward Aroha and Aimata.

 

She barely made ten steps when Nikau called out to her with the statement,

“You still got feelings fer ‘im, don’cha?”

With one loud **_BA–BUM_** echoing from the center of her chest to her ears, she felt her heart stop, and her consciousness travelled to a different plane while her feet _just_ stopped in its tracks.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

“Hey, _talk to me._ ”

Hina kept her head down as she sat on her father’s motorcycle, ignoring him as he knelt down beside her, with his curly hair tied up in a topknot bun and wearing his hotel security guard uniform.

He sighed and said, “Hina, I know you’re mad that I threw your uncle ou _—_ but he isn’t a good influence _—_ ”

Finally, Hinatea pulled her knees up to her chest and spoke out, “I wish Mom were here instead of _you_.”

Maui closed his eyes and took a deep breath and turned to Tala. He picked her up from his motorcycle seat and set her on the ground. He reached over to pull Hina off, but she pushed her hand away and slid herself down before she walked over toward her sister's left. Tala wrapped her fingers around her sister's left hand and then wrapped her tiny fingers around her father's finger.

The feeling of his young daughter’s fingers curling up against his own sent flashes of memories in his mind, and he instinctively turned left, expecting _her_ to reach over and take their eldest daughter’s hand… but all he saw was the empty parking lot, filled employees cars and other vehicles.

Lani had moved to a place where he couldn’t travel _… at least not yet._

 He took a deep breath and proceeded to lead the way, first he’ll drop the girls at the children’s indoor play area, then he’ll meet his manager and explain the situation… and pray that he wouldn’t get fired for being late, _again._ This is the third time in a month _—_ the first month after his two months unpaid bereavement leave.

That’s right… one day after he’d lost Lani, he had to go to work and take the _legal_ twelve weeks of unpaid leave, while he was left to deal with arranging her funeral, and facing the day, night and weeks _without_ her while he had to stay strong for their daughters.

 _Two months…_ that was the time he was _allowed_ to grieve. _Three months_ had passed and here he was _—_ back in the workforce and he was still a mess inside. He missed her, _oh how he missed her_.

He missed the scent of jasmine on her hair, her gentle shining smile that could light up a room, and her sweet voice whenever she sang lullabies to their daughters every night.

 _Their daughters…_  Hinatea _resented_ him _—_ ‘hate _’_ was something that he couldn’t handle from her. Not now _. Not ever._ She just needed time… _that was all._ Tala was so confused… he could see in her eyes, but he also saw how strong she was at the same time and her strength was half the reason for him to keep going.

It was part of the reason to keep fighting, for her to be able to carry on with her strength.

 _Strength_ … the very thing that Lani’s _spawners_ would mercilessly rip to pieces.

 

The three of them made the long walk across the parking lot, toward the back entrance and around the restaurant toward the friendly yellow colored building with a red roof and children's chalk-styled paintings all made with primary colors, on its walls.

Maui let go of Tala's hand and knelt down in front of his two daughters before he pulled out two five dollars bills from his pocket. "Okay, here's five dollars each, now I want you two to _behave_ yourselves and _be nice_.” He paused, turned to Hina and said to her pointedly, “ _Especially you._ Alright? No more punching or _biting._ ” He slowly opened his arms out and asked, “Now, can I get a hug?” 

Tala immediately rushed in and practically hung off the left side of his neck. Maui put his arm around her and gave her a tight squeeze before he let her go and heard her shoes smacking the ground after she jumped off.

He kept one hand on her shoulder as he extended his hand toward Hina _—_ hoping that she’ll join as well. But her eyes moved from his opened hand and then back at him, her stare was emotionless and guarded _—_ a clear reflection of her own internal numbness to veil the hurt she felt. 

 _Hurt…_ this was the kind of hurt that he couldn’t fix. The kind of hurt he hated ‘cause he _couldn’t_ fix it. The kind of hurt that shouted _his failure_ to the world. Failure to be _the_ _best_ _dad_ _he_ **_had_** _to be._   

 

Maui sighed and lowered his arm back down before he slowly stood up. Tala hugged his waist and he ruffled her hair slightly before she let go and watched him leave.

“Bye Daddy!” Tala called out as she waved.

Hinatea slowly rolled her eyes and grabbed her sister’s hand and said, “C’mon Tala.” As she pulled her toward the building.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

After about a minute, Moana slowly came back to her senses and carefully turned around to face Nikau. Her expression was blank from shock and her eyes were in a daze. She physically felt _time_ passing through her as her mind tried to process _exactly_ what he just said?

_What did he just say?_

Her mind had stopped at that moment. That part of her heart was placed in an inescapable steel-iron vault, locked and chained never to be opened again. But the vault wasn’t as full proof as she hoped. Anyone from the outside could see the small protruding dents all around the outer steel walls as her torn heart fought to break free from its prison.

Everyone could see… everyone but _him._

_She preferred it that way._

Like an electric shock, she snapped back to reality and that’s when she felt her anger bubbling up. Moana slowly turned around, “How dare you…” She whispered as took a step forward toward him. “How _dare you_." She spoke through gritted teeth.

Nikau instinctively took a step back each time she moved forward _—_ closer to him. “Let me _one_ thing perfectly clear.” She continued on walking toward him till he had nowhere else to back away to. He stood there with his back pressed against the café wall.  

Moana continued, “ _You’re nobody_ , I don’t know you.” She stood right in front of him with one finger raised, “And if you think for _one second_ that I’m going to let _you_ run your mouth telling me what to do like _you're in charge_ …”

She finally got close enough and jabbed him painfully in the chest. "… _you have another thing coming._ ”

Nikau was immediately taken aback… she was tough _—_ _real tough_ … and scarier too. Scarier than any lady he’d ever encountered. Quite frankly, he wondered _what_ did his spoiled little brother saw in this _lippy_ _woman?_ The more he thought about it _—_ the more he started to see exactly why he decided to screw around with her so-called _best friend._

He stood there still as a statue, looking down at this _woman_ before him and he didn’t like her one bit. His masculine ego screamed at him to shove her outta _his way _—__ but his instincts were telling him to _back down_.

He slowly raised his hand up over his head and said, “Look, _I’m sorry._ ” He didn’t mean it though _—_ but he _needed_ to get away with as much dignity as he could gather, “Alright? I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Moana demanded.

  _No way._ _He was not some trapped circus animal waiting to be told what to do._ Nikau suddenly felt his backbone and leaned over Moana, ready to _put her in her place._ “Listen _, woman_ , I already apologized to your bloody _high ass,_ now you can take it or get outta my way.”

Moana stood her ground and said, “I’m not moving _—_ ”

“Y’know what yer problem is Lady _,_ you’re too high up there _—_ ” He lifted his hand straight up, indicating the level of her supposed _status._

He shouted getting right into her face, “It’s no wonder my brother got tired of your _high and mighty_ attitude! Thinking you’re better than everyone else! Y’know it’s screwed-up rich women like _you_ that make us all men _sick._ ”

He pushed a way around her and marched over toward Aimata and his eldest niece. “Aroha, we’re leaving now. _Move!_ ” He barked at her.

Aroha turned to Aimata and said, “I have to go.”

Aimata opened her mouth, “You don’t have to _—_ ”

Nikau shut her down fast and said, “Stay outta it woman! This’s between me and my _niece_.”

 Aimata eyes shifted between him and Aroha nervously, but she had to make sure that she was going to be safe.

Aroha nodded reassuringly and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll be alright. See you Monday.” She turned and walked over toward her uncle, following him as he led her toward his car.

Moana stood there, staring at the ground with her head down and her left hand clutching her right arm.

“You okay?” Aimata asked as she walked over toward her.

Moana took a deep sharp breath and replied with a cordial, “Yes, thank you for asking.” As she slowly turned around. “I think I’d like to go now.”

Aimata nodded in understanding, “Okay, we’ll continue this meeting another day.”

Moana nodded in agreement before she walked over to her car.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

This was terrifying, Maui sat down on the chair in front of his manager’s table… waiting for him to arrive. _He’s screwed up_. He knew he had. Maui sat there in anticipation.

 ** _Crreeeeeekkkk_** …

He slowly turned head toward the door and watched as his manager, a robust, bald, African-American man dressed a neatly pressed security uniform and a pair of sunglasses sitting right in front of his eyes. This man, who looked closer to a fit _fifty-year-old_ man than someone who was sixty-four, finally sat down in front of Maui with his hands clasped together. Maui's eyes slowly turned to his manager's right hand and focused on the letters tattooed on each of his knuckles. _C-O-B-R-A._

Cobra _Bubbles._

The name of two nouns that contradict itself in so many ways—

“ _Mr Tuputala._ ” His manager called out to him with his deep, serious voice, “This is the third time you’ve been late this month— _Please_ , don't interrupt." Maui immediately closed his mouth back up and his manager continued, "I understand that you've been through a lot over the past three months, and I can only imagine how difficult things are you at this time, given your custody battle." Finally, Cobra leaned closer to him with, "But, I _cannot_ ignore your tardiness. _Capisce_?”

Maui nodded slowly.

Cobra then leaned back in his seat and told him, "This is your _final warning._ Any more mishaps then I'll have no choice but to _fire you_." Finally, he added, "And for the sake of your two girls, I pray that day will never come."

 He then lowered his sunglasses and looked Maui straight in the eyes, “Especially when if it means their grandmother, who as far as I’m aware, was recently diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder _and_ Narcissistic Personality Disorder.”

 

Maui stared at him in perplexity and _fear_. Where did he even _get this information_? Information that he alone hadn't known. "How did you—"

He pushed his sunglasses up to his nose, once again covering his eyes and leaned forward in almost interrogating position as he stated with his _business voice._ “ _Knowledge_ is power and _I like power_.”

Maui nervously leaned back and muttered while nodding, “ ** _Uh huh_** … that’s… _interesting._ ”

 

Cobra leaned back in his seat and clasped hands back together in front of him. He sat up straight and took his sunglasses off, finally he looked Maui in the eyes once more and said, "I will do everything I within my power to make sure _those people_ will not be made your children’s legal guardians. But I can’t help you _if_ you’ll be terminated. So _make sure_ that you won’t get terminated.” 

"Yes, sir," Maui replied.

“Perfect,” Cobra stated, “Now, before you return to your shift I’d like you to give these _—_ ” He reached over to his drawer and pulled out two lollipops, “—to your daughters.”

 Maui slowly took the lollipops and replied, “Thanks.” Before he slowly stuffed the two treats into his front pocket.

“You may go back to your shift now.” His manager said.

"Thanks," Maui replied as he stood up to walk out the door. Cobra slowly turned his head and watched his every step till he closed the door. With him gone, Cobra picked up the phone standing on his desk and proceeded to make a phone call.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

“Moana, are you alright?” Aimata asked as she approached the self-hugging woman before her.

Moana stood there silently, with her arms curled around herself. Nikau’s words fired through her walls like a hurling cannonball. His word hurt… his words were _the truth._ Yes, he screwed up… but she did too. There she was _—_ aged twenty then… putting her studies above everything. _Even him._  

All the date nights he’d worked so hard to plan _—_ all of them _cancelled_ due to assessments.

Their second anniversary _—n_ _ope,_ exams were more important.

Stress had made her irritated with nearly all his kind gestures… most of them were because he was trying to get her to laugh, and she'd accused him of trying to distract her… and that led to arguments.

One of those arguments took place _that morning_ , and it was one of the most intense ones yet _—_ so intense that Maui _had_ to walk out and cool off because she could see he was so close to _snapping_.

And what did she do? She headed to her Social Studies, Psychology, Health and Social care, Mathematics, Advanced English Literature, History and Science, and Law. Pretending that nothing had happened, despite the fact she was fuming _inside_.

 _That was years ago._ Moana told herself, but it didn’t make it right. They were both at fault and poor Lani was put in the middle… all because she needed love and affection, and he’d been there.

 _He’d saved her,_ but at the cost of their relationship _—_

“Moana?” Aimata called out to her again as she felt her hands on her shoulders. “Do you want me to take you home?”

She shook her head and replied, “No, I can drive… _thanks._ ”

“Are you sure?”

“ _I’m sure._ ”

 

Aimata took her hands off Moana’s shoulders and then added, “Don’t listen to men like him, he has _no idea_ what he’s talking about. _Take care._ ”

Moana heard her footsteps walking away from her _—_ and she was grateful for the solitude. His words opened up the familiar sick feelings of guilt in her stomach _—_ but she had to keep pushing it down.

_Down… Down… **Down.**_

 

She turned around and headed back to the parking lot, just as Aimata’s car had driven off.

Moana got into her own car and immediately pressed her head against the headrest. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as her fingers curled tightly against her steering wheel.

She needed to put her work face on. _She needed to put her work face on._

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

 _He needed to put his work face on._ That’s what Maui told himself as he returned to his shift as he tried shoving Hina’s harsh words out of his head… but part of him still wished it would’ve been him _—_ it _should’ve_ been him that drowned.

_He wanted it to be him._

Maui took a deep a sharp breath. He couldn’t think like that _—_ _he had to be strong._ He looked up at the monitors and pressed the button to open the hotel’s front gates and waited for the car to stop by his window, so he could run a proper security check.

_He needed to get with the program._

A black BMW rolled by his window and Maui then got out of his booth and approached the car. The rolled down the window, and sitting there on the driver's seat was a clean-cut, neatly dressed, hazel-eyed, sandy-blonde man.

“Hi there,” The Man replied, “I’ve booked a room here.”

Maui raised an eyebrow and said, “Papers please?”

The Man opened his glove compartment and immediately handed Maui the proof of his reservation.

“So what brings you to Hawaii?” Maui asked.

“I’m here to see my wife.” He replied. Maui nodded slowly and kept his skepictism to himself _—_ but then at the same time, he knew everyone had a story… still, his gut was telling him there was something _off_ about this seemingly charismatic thirty-something-year-old man in front of him… Maui found himself slowly feeling concerned for this man’s wife, _whoever_ she may be?

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

By some miracle that despite all the thoughts and flashes of memories in her head, she still managed to make it. Moana drove up to her driveway and put the car in the park, and just sat in her driver's seat.

Those words still _stung._ It stung her on so many levels… and it brought back so many memories. Moments in her life she wanted to apologize for… when the time was right.

_When she could make time._

Moana took a long somber breath and turned off her engine before she rested her head against the headrest of her driver’s seat. _Why was she getting so emotional about this?_ There was no reason to think about _what ifs_. _No reason_. That ship had sailed long ago… far before she knew it.

 

It was far too late now. She needed to let it go.

 _Time to grow up Moana._ She told herself before she took a deep breath. It was time for her to grow up and accept her mistakes and learn from them. _Learn_ so she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

 

Finally, her resignation set in and Moana got out of her car. She took her usual steps _—_ going at her usual graceful but strong pace _—_ toward her front door as her hand automatically reached to pull her house key from her skirt pocket. She placed her key in the lock _—_ then her door opened… _without her even turning the key._ Moana froze for a moment; did she forget to lock her door?

She took her key out of the keyhole and cautiously made her way inside her entrance. Her eyes scanned everything from the largest furniture in the room to the tiniest speck of newly formed tiny layer of eight-hour-old dust on the surface of her shoe closet.

Nothing appeared to out of place.

 

She reached out and gently closed her front door… trying to make as little noise as possible as she slowly turned around to push her key into the lock. It only made it half-way. She tried pushing in harder but it wouldn’t go through, something was jammed into _—_ _wait._

 _Silence…_ her house-alarm wasn’t going off.

A frightening shiver went up to her spine and Moana slowly turned her head toward the left side of her front doorway and saw her alarm had been smacked off. She slowly walked over, trying to keep her footsteps silent as possible while she picked her broken alarm off the floor before she trodded over slowly to her shoe-closet, and placed it at the top.

 

_She needed protection._

Moana slowly crept her way into her kitchen with every intention to grab a knife from the rack.

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

She stopped in her tracks the minute she stepped into her living room. _Everything was wrong._ All of her furniture had literally been cut meticulously in _half._ Her sofa, her dining table, all of her kitchen cabinets, counters, and even her ceramic top stove, and that’s when she smelled _gas_. She quickly covered mouth and nose with her hand.

 _‘It can’t be.’_ The terrifying thought echoed through her head. Moana felt compelled to check her bedroom.

Just as she saw in the living room nearly all of her furniture was meticulously cut perfectly in half… everything spilt right down the middle. And spread all over her ruined bed was all her clothing.

All her clothes _—_ her favorite clothes, both old and new had been cut up and shredded. She knew the meaning behind this act. This person wanted to show her that she _had no right_ to a new start. She had no right to be _independent_ and _free._

Her eyes slowly shifted to the other side of her twin-sized bed, where a wedding dress _—_ _her old wedding dress._

Her blood turned to ice and her muscles felt like stone beneath her skin. She heard liquid dripping behind her. Time slowed down in her panic-stricken mind and the drips sounded like loud _pounding **thuds**_.

Moana slowly turned to the source and saw what was written on her wall. Her blood turned to ice again.

Smeared on her wall were the words…

**_YOU’RE STILL MINE._ **

Boldly written with her watered down red lipstick—flowing down her wall like _blood._

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

 _“Maui…”_ Her voice called out to him as the scent of jasmine filled the air, and he knew this was a dream; after all, dreaming was the only way the deceased would visit them and pass on a message or remind the living that their spirits would forever be with them. All of them _—_ from all his forefathers within his genealogy to him and his children.

Still… that doesn’t make it hurt any less.

 _“Maui.”_ Came his grandmother’s voice _—_ and her face as she called him to come forward. Before long Maui found himself back in Samoa _—_ specifically _American_ Samoa, beneath the shelter of his grandparents’ _fale._

He heard the sound of his grandmother’s broom sweeping the dust away _—_ just as she would do in life.

 _“You’ve been spoiling your daughters, I hear.”_ He heard the slight warming chuckle in her voice… but amidst that hearty tone, he knew there was a slight disapproval behind it.

 _“How many times have I told you, eh? Children are not to be spoiled.”_ She began with a sharp tone in her voice. _“The more they spoil the more rotten they become.”_

Maui paused for a moment and told her, “I don’t know what else to do, Grandma… I’m all alone _—_ ”  
That’s when he felt the brush of her broom whacking him on the back of the head. “ _Soia, Maui. You have family there, and they’re grieving as you are.”_

He rubbed the spot and said, “That’s why I can’t ask _—_ ”

His grandmother cut him off, _“Don’t ask, offer. I know Waiola and her husband would love nothing more to take the girls for a couple of days. Don’t forget, they lost Lani too.”_

No sooner did his grandmother utter his wife’s name, the scent of jasmine filled the air once more and he heard her calling his name.  _“Maui…”_

He looked over toward the opening, and there Lani sat on the curved edges of the floor just like last time she came to him. She slowly turned, her long wavy hair fluttered against the strong winds.

 _"You look troubled,"_ Lani said to him as she gave him a comforting smile. Maui forced a smile as he walked over and sat down beside her. She turned to him and asked, _“What’s wrong?”_

“I can’t do this.” He replied, “ _I can’t do this._ ” He closed his eyes to the sensation of feeling her hand against his cheek.

 _“Not yet.”_ She told him, like his grandmother, her voice sounded one with the wind. _“Not till you’ve given yourself time to accept the change.”_

Maui closed his eyes and instinctively shook his head _—_ knowing full well that he didn’t have the time _—_ _he_ didn’t want the time. “I can’t give myself _—_ ”

 _“ **Shhh** …” _He felt Lani’s other hand on his cheek, and he found the courage to gaze at her face once more. Her slightly slanted eyes, her hexagonal shaped face, her high cheekbones, her long lashes and her dark wavy hair. A vision of what their _last child_ would look like.

“Tala looks more and more like you every day.” Maui blurted out.

Lani’s warm smile widened as she replied, her voice still echoing, _“I know. I’ve been there watching them the whole time. And Hina’s wrong, you’ve ruined **nothing**.” _ He felt a weight lifting off his shoulders and he immediately wrapped his arms around Lani’s spirit.

She took her hands off his cheeks and wrapped her arms around his neck as she continued, _“You’ve given me everything I never thought I’d have, and more.”_ Lani pulled her arms off his shoulders, and Maui pressed her right hand up to his lips.

She looked up at him with a sad smile on her face. _“Everything will be alright.”_ She pulled her right hand away from his grasp and pressed it against his right cheek. _“Your grandmother’s right,”_

The two stopped at the sound of his grandmother, going **_hmph_** , as she continued sweeping. Lani smiled from amusement for a moment before she turned back to Maui, _“You need more time to yourself, and I know my aunt and uncle would love to take the girls for a few days. Sort yourself out.”_

 “I can’t do that… Hiapo and Waiola’s done so much _—_ ” He stopped when he felt her thumb brushing his cheek.

Lani looked up at him and said, _“They would love to have the girls spend some time with them too. Don’t forget, the responsibility of a child's upbringing falls to all of her family and community."_

 

 _“Aue, have you forgotten Fa’a Samoa?”_ His grandmother chastised as she finally turned around to face him, and then she chastised him once again, _“Don’t let your back face me when I’m talking to you!”_

Maui immediately turned around to face his grandmother once more, and listened as she spoke, _“Hinatea and Tala don’t belong to you alone, they belong to their village _—_ or big fancy city in your case.”_ Having put her own word in, his grandmother turned around and went back to sweeping.

Finally, Maui turned around to face Lani once more and heard her chuckling at his grandmother's remarks, and brought a smile to his lips. He missed listening to her giggles… he missed smelling the scent of jasmine next to him every morning when he'd wake up during pre-dawn hours for his shift.

 

And that same sweet smell was still there as she laid still as a vegetable in that hospital bed, with only machines keeping her alive, and cards from the young boy’s family standing upright on her bedside table.

Worst of all, he wasn’t there when it happened. But their daughters were… and he remembered the call he’d gotten from work that day. That’s when his whole world came crashing down.

 

“I’m so sorry.” He whispered, “I should’ve been there.” Soon he felt her arms around his shoulders and one of her hands against pressed against his thick dark curls.

 _“You don’t have to apologize for that, Maui.”_ She told him, her voice soft and comforting.

There was one thing he wanted _—_ he _needed_ to know at least to give him some peace of mind. “Were you… in pain?”

 _“At first yes, but peace soon came.”_ She answered honestly, _“And that was all I felt.”_

Hearing that eased his conscience just a little, and part of him wanted to stay here forever. But he couldn’t… and he knew he’d have to leave soon _—_ before he’d get caught sleeping on the job.

 _"You have to go,"_ Lani stated. He looked up at her for a moment with reluctant eyes as he slowly nodded his head. He felt her arms pull away again as her hand reached up and pressed itself against his cheek. _“I’ll be with you all. **Always**.”_

Just like that, he woke up with a start. His mind still confused about the dream _—_ as he sat up in his seat and looked around. He was back in the security booth. _‘Great...’_ He thought _without obvious sarcasm._

His fingers then slowly reached for the chain around his neck, where Lani’s wedding ring hung. Her words still rang in his ears. _“I’ll be with you all. **Always**.”_

Followed by his grandmother's words of obvious exasperation. "Sorry, Grandma." He spoke out to her as he looked up at the ceiling. Finally, he turned to the wall clock, the hands were at 2:45 PM. _Just fifteen more minutes._

Soon, his grandmother’s and Lani’s advice flowed after. Let Waiola and her husband have the girls for a few days while he got the break he desperately needed.

It sounded tempting… but then guilt soon kicked in. _He_ was their father _—_ and _he_ was their caretaker. But, how could he take care of them while he was a mess inside? Simple, he couldn’t… not yet.

 _Moana._ How was he going to explain this to her? Especially after the ‘Expecting other people to clean up after your own messes’ comment. But was this really him expecting other people to take his load or was this his way of finally giving him the break he needed the most.

_The break his heart needed the most._

Three months was long enough to carry this heavy load, right? His grandmother and Lani had given him their ‘blessings’ to focus on _himself_ for a few days… it was just for a few days, and he _needed_ the break.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

_The Honolulu Sheriffs arrived in the nick of time, and her house was immediately closed off with yellow police tape. She watched but the feeling of invasion started to disappear instead she found that her emotional strength had come through. She had a strong suspicion of the culprit’s identity and she gave the officers the man’s name._

Now, she had to focus on withdrawing whatever funds she had in her bank account and find a women’s shelter, and then call her parents to keep them updated on what happened.

Moana pulled up her car to a nearby ATM and quickly got out with her ATM card in her hand. She quickly went up to the machine and pushed her card in through the slot.

Horror then started to set in when she saw that her access to withdrawal had been denied. _Just like last time,_ her accounts had to be frozen. Now, her suspicions were confirmed, and she didn’t want to believe it.

She reached for her iPhone and immediately opened FaceTime. Soon, her mother Sina answered with a sigh of relief. **_“Moana, are you alright?”_** Her mother asked.

“I’m fine Mom,” Moana replied with a reassuring smile on her face, “Is Dad there?”

Sina nodded and turned to call her father toward the phone. Soon her father’s face came on the screen. **_“Have you found a safe place to stay?”_** Her father asked.

“No.” Moana replied, “But I will soon Dad, I promise.”

 ** _“What’s happened?”_** Her mother asked from behind him.

“He’s frozen my bank account.”

 ** _“How?”_** Tui asked out of shock.

“I don’t know, Dad. But, I promise I’ll be okay.” She assured him, “I’ll looking for a shelter right now _—_ ”

 ** _“Moana, your mother and I would feel more comfortable if you’d stay with Waiola.”_** Her father added.

“Dad _—_ ”

 ** _“Sweetheart, please.”_** Her mother begged, **_"_ _That way you won't be alone till your father and I can come over there."_**

Moana let out a reluctant sigh and said, “Alright, I’ll give Waiola a call and see if I can stay with them. And Mom, Dad, please don’t come here, _please._ I’d feel better if you both stayed in Pago Pago.”

She saw her parents exchange a worried glance and Tui turned to her, ** _“Moana, he’s dangerous—”_**

“Dad, that’s _exactly_ why I want you and mom to stay home.” Moana replied, “I’ll be safe. _I promise._ ” After giving her parents a reassuring smile, she ended the FaceTime call and took a deep breath.

 

Finally, she opened her contacts list… and she was still surprised to find that Waiola's number was still saved on her phone.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

   

Two hours later, Moana couldn’t believe that she was standing the Kameāloha’s front door _—_ she didn’t even get a chance to make that first knock when the door slowly opened. There stood Lani’s uncle.

Moana gave him a friendly smile and was surprised to see that aside from the graying hair, the creases on the corner of his eyes, he hadn’t changed that much. He was still the gentle giant, she’d remembered and his next actions would only prove it.

He came outside and gave her one of his famous bear-hugs.

“Moana, it’s good to see you!” He replied heartily.

“It’s good to see you too, Uncle Kahua.” She replied back after he put her down. Kahua put a friendly arm around her shoulder as he led her into the house.

"Wait," Moana spoke before she got down and then took off her shoes, and held them in one hand as she walked in after him.

 

She stopped for a moment once she heard two familiar child-like voices coming from their living room. She then looked over and saw hints of curly hair bouncing.

 _Hinatea and Tala were here._ Did that mean Maui was here too?

 

“Hope you don’t mind the extra guests?” Kahua asked her.

“Uncle Kahua, if they’re here then I can’t be here, it’s against policy for me to be _—_ ” Moana tried to explain.

But he wouldn’t have any of it and asked her in a firm voice, “Since when is policy more important than your _life?_ ”

She remained silent _—_ knowing that she had no answer to that one. Kahua then showed her to the living room, where the girls were spending time with their cousin Hiapo.

Moana stopped in her tracks as she spotted him, shocked by how much he'd grown since she'd last seen him. Of course, he’d only been six-years-old then, now, he was twelve _—_ _thirteen._ That’s right, he was thirteen now.

Hinatea and Tala noticed her there and stopped whatever they were doing to look up at her. Hinatea eyed her attentively as if they were meeting for the first time, while Tala gave her an auspicious look as she greeted Moana with a friendly wave.

Moana smiled and waved back at her as Waiola was coming out of the kitchen. “I hope you don’t mind having the girls stay with us for a few days?”

"That'll make things complicated, Aunt Waiola." Moana replied, "I'm not supposed to live with my cases, and the girls are one of my cases _—_ ”

“Nonsense!” Kahua replied, “They’re not case-studies in _this house,_ and you’re not a social worker. You three are _our guests_ from now and after you leave.”

Moana raised an eyebrow in confusion and inquired, “And _after I leave?_ ”

Waiola smacked her husband’s shoulder and scolded him, “Goodness sake Kahua, don’t confuse the poor woman! She has _enough_ on her mind already.” He smiled as he remained silent.

Waiola then simplified his boastful explanation with, “We’re not going to tell anyone you’re here, and I’ve called everyone even _Aimata_ to keep their mouths shut about this.”

“And Maui?” Moana asked.

That’s when their expressions _—_ even Kahua’s _—_ turned uncharacteristically grim.

Kahua then put his hand on his wife's shoulder and nervously drumming his fingers against her light blue blouse jacket and told after clearing this throat, “Well, we thought it’d be best if we asked _you_ if you wanted him to know or not?”

Moana paused for a moment and took a deep breath, “I’d rather he not.” She replied before she looked at Hina and Tala, who’d resume playing with their cousin Hiapo.

“They’re not gonna tell him either.” Waiola assured her, “Now, c’mon let me show you to your room.”

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Dinner with the Kameālohas was as warm and fun-filled as she remembered. With Uncle Kahua purposely playing with his food, slurping and blowing bubbles to his portion of _Saimin_. Enticing Hina, Tala and Hiapo to follow suit.

Waiola gave her husband a backhanded smack on his shoulder as he continued slurping the noodles up to his lips, “Oh _Kahua!_ You’re teaching them bad manners!” She scolded.

He simply chuckled and turned to his two grandnieces before giving them a playful wink. Hinatea playfully stuck her tongue at him and he stuck his tongue out right at her.

Waiola let out a long sigh and shook her head before muttering, “I swear you’re still a child _—_ ** _ah!_** ” She yelped after feeling a sneaky pinch to the side of her jeans, just on her right hip, she turned and slapped her husband on the hand as a warning to stop with his typical horseplay, especially in front of the children. “ _Aue Kahua!_ ” She exclaimed, which only made him laugh and caused laughter to spread around the room.

Even Moana found herself giggling herself silly at his antics, and Waiola’s mutters of exasperation, “When will you _ever_ grow up?”

“When infinity comes to an end," Kahua replied. Waiola rolled her eyes and shook her head before she continued on eating dinner, and her openly affectionate husband put his arm over her shoulders and pulled her in slightly before he gave her a quick kiss with prickly, bearded face.

Waiola gave him a gentle whack on the shoulder and frowned on the outside to hide the smile she felt within her soul, “Not at the dinner table.”

Hiapo and Kahua turned to each other with similar glints in their eyes and then remarked, “She’s loved it.”

To which Waiola half-threatened to ground their son and make her husband sleep on the couch if either of them said another word.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

Dinner finished at sundown and then it was an hour of family time with the girls, and homework time for Hiapo before bedtime came.

At least… that’s what Moana knew Waiola had installed in her household. _Time management_.

She was very religious about it and expected all her six children, Hiapo and his five older sisters _—_ with Aimata being the eldest, and the first of their five daughters to leave home, to follow her strict teachings no matter where life would take them. 

And there was her husband Kahua, who always encouraged the freedom of expression, play and creativity.

They both were teachers with completely opposite beliefs to educational methods and childrearing, and yet they managed to balance it out as much as they could with their opposite personalities.

However there was one thing that they agreed on when it came to raising children, and that was consistency.

This, in Moana’s eyes, was _exactly_ what Maui needed in his life. Consistency, balance and _time management_. Not dumping things on other people and expect to them to _deal with it._ Which was why she was disappointed to learn that he’d dump his children in their care.

True he was still grieving, but depending on who his judge would be, that reasoning wouldn’t be taken into consideration. _Not at all._ He was a parent and parents had _no breaks._

She sat down at the table, looking up at Waiola as she was doing the dishes while Kahua was reading the girls a bedtime story.

 

“Aunt Waiola,” Moana called out to her. Waiola turned around, still holding the newly rinsed bowl in her hand and gave Moana her undivided attention. She continued, “Maui didn’t just expect you to take _—_ ” She stopped once she saw her eyes narrow.

“No, he called us beforehand and asked if we didn’t mind?” Waiola explained before she stated firmly, “And we _don’t_.” Finally, she put the bowl down and looked Moana in the eye before she asked, “Why did you take on this case?”

“I didn’t have a choice.” Moana finally admitted her, “I didn’t want to take the case in first place… but I _didn’t_ have a choice.” 

Waiola looked up at her for a moment in pure disbelief. This wasn’t the Moana she’d watch grow up alongside her niece. In fact, this wasn’t the same Moana she, Tui and Sina had often talked about together whenever the two would come to Hawaii during the summer.

She even remembered Moana's grandmother Tala _—_ the very same woman Lani had named her own daughter after _—_ apparently with Moana's blessing. Waiola assumed the two managed to keep in touch with this wondrous invention called _the internet._ But, apparently, that wasn't the case.

_It wasn’t the case._

Being a mother really opened-up a lot of things in her. She just _knew_ there was something to this situation than Moana was willing to lead on, and she knew that Moana knew as well.

 _She wasn’t stupid._ In fact, Waiola was sure she could’ve been a _judge_ with her high intelligence. Instead, she chose to follow her heart and help young children in mind.

“If I didn’t take the case, then I would’ve been _let go._ Aunt Waiola, and what good would I be then?”

“She can’t do that _—_ ”

Moana then looked up at her and pointed out, “She’s from the mainland Waiola and if came down to it would they believe my word over hers?”

“We’re not on the mainland, Moana. It would be different if you were there. You have a _right_ to press this issue to Human Resources and _you_ know they’d take your side on this one.” Waiola then leaned back on her kitchen counter. Moana immediately swallowed the lump forming her throat _—_ and she couldn’t deny that truth.

 _She couldn’t_.

Waiola saw Moana's discomfort _—_ by the way she subconsciously started clasping her right hand against her left arm and knew that _wasn’t the real case._

And now those young children in her case were Lani’s and Maui’s _. His daughters…_  

“ _Anyway_ ,” Waiola began, “You’ve had a long day, and you _need rest._ ”

Moana nodded, “Good night Aunt Waiola.”

“Good night Moana,” Waiola replied.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

She finally stepped into her temporary bedroom, and finally could get a look at it. The walls were painted pastel lilac with glow in the dark stickers stuck on the ceiling.

A simple twin sized daybed with painted white vine patterned frames with a similar styled frame and headboard, laid the right corner of the room, below several posters of various boy bands _—_ such as Westlife _—_ that Moana hadn’t listened to since the late _nineties_.

This was had been the bedroom she and Lani stayed together… on the rare occasion that Lani _would_ be allowed to sleepover.

She walked over toward the twin sized bed and sat down on its neatly laid out lavender blanker, covering the three layers of foam mattresses underneath. She then lifted the blanket up slightly and saw the patterns of flying swans. This was her favorite bedsheet from her childhood, and it still looked the exactly the same as she remembered it, with no signs of wear or age. A testimony to the value of childhood and fond memories… and in some ways, Lani's own worth within Kahua and Waiola's family.

 

She then felt horrible for overlooking the fact that Lani’s aunt and uncle were also grieving for her not just as a niece, but as one of their daughters. She knew she was being too hard on Maui… but she needed to be _—_ she knew that family services were just waiting for him to make the smallest slip before they pounced and grab everything he held dear by the throat.

 

Then, they’d make that final rip, and she knew once they get put into the system… they wouldn’t stand a chance. And she would make sure they go to the system rather than _Mr and Mrs Kahale._

Finally sighing to herself, Moana decided it was time for her to sleep.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

The sounds of shuffling feet woke her up from light slumber, and Moana quickly sat up, her instincts on full alert as she instinctively leaned over toward the white bedside table and pulled out… 

… _a book._

 

Suddenly a sniffle echoed through the bottom of the door, and she carefully put the heavy book on the surface of the bedside table, and slowly got out of bed, now dressed in her blue-white gradient toned pajamas.

She approached the door and heard more of the child-like sniffles from the other side. Her hand slowly reached and turned the doorknob. A girl’s gasp immediately followed. Moana squinted her eyes and saw hints of curly hair, and then called out, “Hina?”

A sniff followed by an answer, “Yeah.”

  
Moana felt for the light switch by the door and flipped it up. Hina’s eyes closed and fluttered to adjust her eyes from the sudden brightness. Once her eyes had adjusted to the brightness, she looked up at Moana for a moment before she turned to the room she’d taken.

“Why aren’t you in bed, Hina?” Moana asked her.

“No reason.” Hina replied shrugging her shoulders her eyes never leaving room behind Moana, “That’s my mom’s room.”

Moana smiled and said, "And mine too, your mom and I used to have sleepovers in here."

“Really?” Tala shouted as she came out from her hiding place. Moana turned and her face fell _—_ not from disappointment, but  _saudade_ for the memories she and Lani made here as children.

“Yes, yes, we did.” Moana replied as she slowly bent forward to their levels as she continued smiling, “Your mom and I used to stay in this room almost every summer.”

“So?” Hinatea began, “You guys were _friends?_ ”

"Oh, more than friends _._ ” Moana replied as her warm smile widened, “Your mom and I were practically sisters, and we loved each other like you and Tala do.”

“You miss her too?” Hinatea suddenly asked.

Moana turned her attention to her, and that’s when could feel her own lips starting to quiver, but she put a stop it before it could even begin. “Yes, _yes I do._ ” The girl’s expressions changed and she knew that she’d just got to the heart of the issue. “You miss her don’t you?”

“Yeah…” Tala spoke out while her sister immediately nodded.

Hinatea then explained, "Aunty Waiola would sometimes let Tala and me sleep in this room when we miss her."

“So, you couldn’t sleep?” Moana asked.

This time Hinatea answered, “Nuh-uh.” Then she grabbed her sister’s hand and said after she shrugging her shoulders, “But it’s okay though, we’ll try. C’mon Tala.”

Her little sister then pointed to the bedroom and asked her, "Do you know any stories?"

Moana slowly smiled and then said, “I sure do.”

Hina saw where this was going and immediately tried to pull her sister along, but Tala wrenched her hand away from her sister’s and rushed over to Moana before she asked, “You know the story of Menehune?”

"Oh yes, of course, I do," Moana replied.

“Mommy does too!” Tala said, with a smile on her face.

"Your Uncle Kahua told us that story too when your mother and I were Hina's age."

“Can you tell it to me, please?” Tala asked in an excited tone in her voice.

Moana replied with a warm smile on her lips, “I’d loved to.” She then looked up and saw Hina standing there, with her head down and her arms hanging stiffly by her sides, finally, Moana asked, “How ‘bout you join us, Hina?”

Hinatea nodded before she walked over and took her hand.

Tala nestled herself on the right side of Moana’s lap while Hinatea sat to her sister’s left, while keeping her distance and maintaining her interest to listen to the story, and was elated to hear the prologue was exactly the same as their mother’s, and Moana got everything right, even the name of the characters and how thanks to the Menehune, the two fell-in-love.

Meanwhile, Hinatea was impressed to hear the story sounded just like how her mom would tell it… then it got to the part where the guy and girl _fell in love_.

Hina immediately started sticking her finger into her mouth in protest of the romance.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

  

 

Tala’s eyes finally closed as she now laid her head against her lap, while the same time Moana ended the tale and turned to see Hinatea rubbing her eyes as she was on the verge of falling asleep. Moana smiled as she leaned over Tala and slowly pulled the covers from under her and motioned her to lie down, which Hina gladly obliged and she rested her head against the shared pillow and finally closed her eyes.

 

As Hina finally fell asleep, Moana then carefully tucked Tala in. Finally, she gently got out bed and tiptoed her way toward the door. She opened the door as silently as she could before she exited and turned to shut the door, then paused for a second only to smile at the sight of Lani’s two daughters sleeping on the bed she and their mother had slept in back during their childhood so many years ago.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

But as she would discover that next morning, Hinatea had inherited another thing from Lani… her light sleeper trait. Moana woke up that next morning to find both Hina and Tala sleeping beside her, in their original bed.

 

And, that story became the butt of jokes that morning during breakfast, and after the family got ready for church, and this is when Tala started acting out and demanding to know _why_ Moana couldn’t join them for Church that Sunday. Waiola, strict as ever, gave Tala the silent treatment and only answered her once she’d _calmed_ down. Showing that her behaviour was completely unacceptable and _would not_ be tolerated.

“Moana’s not going because it’s not safe for her.” Waiola explained as simply as she could before she reminded them both with a grave tone in her voice, “And remember you’re _not_ allowed to tell _anyone_ outside of the family, where Moana is. _Anyone_ , even if they tell you they’re her friend.”

The two sister immediately nodded each of them looking up at her with apprehensive confusion, but Waiola got her message across and that was all that mattered.

“Hina, come over here, it's time to do your hair," Waiola called out to her once she finished putting her empty plate in the sink.

Tala rushed to Moana holding a hairbrush in her hand and asked, “Aunty can you do my hair please?”

Moana smiled as she took the hairbrush and turned Tala around before she knelt down and began brushing the girl's wavy locks, "So?" Moana began, "Do you want a regular braid for today?"

“Uh-huh!” Tala replied as she tried to stand still.

"Good job keeping still, Tala," Moana commented in a congratulatory tone while she continued brushing her hair till it was soft enough for to style into a traditional braid. She then paused for a moment and leaned, “Don’t move yet. Let’s see if I…” She then gathered the long braid and rolled it into a bun. “… _there._ ”

Tala then put her hand behind her head, trying to feel for her braid, and then felt the weight on the top of her head. She frowned and undid bun, letting the braid fall to her back.

Moana rolled her eyes and shook her head just before Tala turned around and said, “This is good! Thank you.”

"You're welcome Tala," Moana replied with a warm smile as she then rushed off to join her Aunt Waiola and Hinatea as their aunt finished up on her braid. Hina took her sister’s hand and led her down to the car, where their uncle and cousin were waiting.

Leaving Moana to stay at home with the door locked and with the curtains drawn, _and_ the urge to _do something_ to lift the weight off her shoulders.

 

   

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

And that’s how Moana’s days went during the last two days and two nights she’d spent at Waiola and Kahua’s home, but today was Monday _—_ a school day, which meant that all the children _had_ to go into their respected educational institutes… all of them, _except_ for Tala. Five-year-old,  _school-aged_ Tala _._  

 _‘What are you thinking Maui?’_ Moana thought to herself in disapproval as she stood by the sink, wearing Aimata’s old lilac cat print T-shirt and white sweatpants, washing the dishes while Tala sat at the table, eating her late morning snack. Soon she heard the sounds of shuffling coming from the adjoined dining area and turned to see Tala rushing over, carrying her dirty plate, spoon and fork over to the kitchen.

Moana smiled as she reached over and took the plates and utensils from her little hands, “Good helping, Tala.” She remarked before putting the dishes in the sink.

Soon she heard the sounds of rubber scraping the floor, and turned to see that Tala had grabbed a plastic stool, set it in front of the sink, and climbed up, she then grabbed a sponge and the dish soap and squirted the liquid on the sponge.

 

Moana watched as Tala picked up one of the dishes and started wiping the bubbly sponge against the plate’s smooth surface. “Did your father teach you how to clean the dishes Tala?” She asked.

“ _Noooo!_ ” Came her giggly replied, “Mommy did, she says that we all gotta help out, ‘cause everybody’s gotta help each other to make our family happy.”

“That’s right,” Moana replied as she kept her smile from faltering. _‘That’s what Lani would’ve said.’_ The more Moana observed Tala, the more she started to see more and more of Lani in her, and the more she knew she would end up being the scapegoat… should her maternal grandparents gain custody?

 

“So, do you like making your family happy?” She asked.

Tala nodded slowly as she continued washing the dishes, “But my daddy works really hard to make us happy too.”

"That's true too," Moana noted as she moved to one side and picked up a dish towel and picked up one of the newly washed plates. Tala gave her a toothy smile, exposing the only two physical traits she'd inherited from her father. The dimples and the gap between her two front teeth.  

“ ** _Boop!_** ” Tala went as she pressed her bubble covered finger on Moana’s elbow, “Bubble attack!”

Moana raised an eyebrow and slowly dipped her three fingers into the soapy water then _booped_ on Tala on the nose. “Bubble attack.”

Tala did it again, “Bubble attack!”

And so did Moana, “Bubble attack!”

The two then went back and forth tapping each other’s cheeks and noses with bubbles for a few minutes and Moana then stopped for a moment as a quick memory flashed through her eyes.

She saw a vision of Lani as a child just for a brief second and for a moment Moana could feel her started to quiver a little, and she took a deep breath to calm herself enough not to break down crying.

She then knelt down to Tala’s level and maintained eye-contact while she asked, “Did anyone ever tell you, you look so much like your mother?”

Tala nodded, “Uh-huh, Daddy says it _all the time._ But I don’t wanna look like her.”  

“Why not?” Moana asked with a frown.

“'Cause it makes Daddy sad," Tala replied.

“And that makes you feel sad too?” Moana asked.

Tala nodded and then said, “Uh-huh, and I don’t wanna be bad ‘cause I look like Mommy…” And without any warning, Tala just squatted down in her stool and formed an upright fetal position.

“ _Oh_ , Tala… it's not your fault." Moana spoke out with a gentle reassuring tone in her voice, "Do you want a hug?"

Tala slowly raised her head and nodded after she turned to her with red and puffy eyes. Moana slowly put her arms around her and held Tala close as she slowly started rocking with her to soothe the little girl’s feelings.

"Daddy showed us pictures of Mama when she was little like me." Tala began explained, "And little you were in ‘em too.”

“Really?” Moana asked as she put up an enthusiastic smile on her face.

“Yeah.” Tala replied, “Were you and Mommy friends?” She asked.

“Yes, _yes_ we were," Moana answered as she unknowingly pulled Tala closer to her, till she felt the little girl's arms around her shoulders. “Your mommy was my _best friend._ ”

Tala slowly lifted her head away from her shoulder and looked straight at Moana then asked, “You miss her lots too?”

“All the time.” She replied.

 

**_Knock. Knock._ **

 

Tala ripped herself free Moana’s arms and shouted, “I’ll get _—_ ” But Moana quickly pulled her back and kept her hands on the girl’s shoulders as she stood up. Moana looked down at her and put her finger to lips, motioning her to be quiet and then told her “Tala, how ‘bout you go and wait in your room and I’ll come get you in a minute.”

“Oh okay.” Tala replied, “You’ll come get me, yeah?”

"I promise," Moana answered before she nudged Tala to the corridor, and waited till she was out of sight, before she slowly pulled a little knife from the drawer, and took soft, careful steps toward the door.

 

She saw the blurred silhouette of a large man with extremely broad shoulders, and a topknot on his head. Two features that resembled _Maui _—__ but, that was all she could see… and that was more than enough for her to question just _who_ was waiting outside the front door?

**_Knock. Knock._ **

Her eyes narrowed as she placed her left hand behind her back, to hide the knife, and her right hand slowly reached for the door. She could feel the nervous sweat slowly forming on her palms, while her heart seemed to have amplified a thousand times in her ears, as she heard every single beat it made while it pounded against her chest.

**_KNOCK. KNOCK._ **

 

Her fingers finally gripped the round gold knob, and very slowly started she turned it to the left.

 ** _CLICK!_ **

She took a deep sharp breath and quickly wrenched the door open, while she lifted the steak knife up above her head.

The tattooed man let out a shriek in response as he flinched, and then he recognized her, “ _Moana?_ ”

She looked up and saw two brown round eyes looking down at her in complete shock. One thought formed in her head. _‘Oh no…’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **List of terminologies:**  
>     
> Whānau: The Maori word for Family.  
> Fa'a Samoa: "The Samoan Way"  
> Aotearoa: The Maori word for New Zealand which can be translated to "Land of the long white cloud."  
> Kahuna Nui Hale Kealohalani Makua: A Hawaiian phrase that can be translated to "Love all you see, including yourself."  
> Saimin: A Hawaiian version of Japanese ramen or Chinese noodles, made from thin white noodles, that's usually mixed in clear broth with green onions, fishcakes (kambobo), pork or eggs.  
> Saudade: An expression of Portuguese or Brazilian origin that describes the deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves. 
> 
>   
> 
>  
> 
> **Special Announcement:**
> 
> Here it is!  
> So, for those of you who don't know, I've had the wonderful chance to form a new friendship with the author to "The Art of Love" herself, theCreativeWriter, and I'm happy to say that she and I are currently working to co-write another Hooked Wayfinder fanfiction called: One Summer Day in Idaho. (Currently will be posted here in Ao3)  
> Now, there's no official release date, just yet… but it is currently being written, which each of us taking turns writing each chapter.  
> And that is it for the special announcement, and I hope you've enjoyed this chapter!  
> Feel free to share you thoughts or suggestions on what you want to see next? Or anything that I can improve on?  
> Till then,  
> Bye peeps! I hope you've had a good read.  
> :D


	6. Kahuna Nui Hale Kealohalani Makua (Part Two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
> Sorry for the extremely long update, but if you follow me on Tumblr, you'll know that I'm going through a lot of things mentally and emotionally. But, I'm getting better, all I can say is that the next update to this fic and Hinatea will take a while, and I mean a long while...  
> So once again I apologize for the wait.  
> Other than that, I hope you have a good read!  
> And note this chapter has gone through a basic edit, so if you spot any errors or anything like that, then please let me know!  
> Thanks! :D

* * *

Maui slowly eased up in his flinched position and slowly raised his hands up as he calmly instructed, “Okay… now let’s just put the knife _down _—__ ” Moana let out a sigh before she rolled her eyes and simply placed the knife on top the end table by the door.

“What are _you_ doing here?” They both asked at the same time. Maui and Moana then stared at each other with bewildered looks on their faces. Then they paused, waiting till the other one answered.

He saw her narrowing her eyes, “ ** _Uh_** _…_ " He started with a nervous undertone in his voice before he cleared his throat and answered confidently as he crossed his arms over his chest triumphantly, "I'm here to spend some time with my daughter." He then looked down at her and asked, "And what are _you_ doing here?”

"That's none of your business," Moana replied.

“ ** _Um_** _…_ you held a _knife_ at me _—_ I think it’s the _least_ you can do.” He stated.

“Alright then.” She began, crossing her arms over her chest, “I’m just visiting.”

Maui raised his left brow as he stated as a matter of factly, “You’re wearing Aimata’s shirt.”

Moana cut him off as she shook her head before she held her head high, “ _No I’m not._ ”

He then rebutted her claim with a sarcastic, “’kay sooo... you’ve developed a secret obsession for _cats_ and sweatpants.” She narrowed her eyes in annoyance as she looked at him, he shrugged his shoulders and asked her, “Now, are you gonna tell me the truth _—_ ”

Moana cut him off and told him firmly, “Maui, I mean it, it’s _none of your business._ ” She then added, “But, I know one thing that _is_ your business _—_ and that’s your parenting skills.” She put her hands on her hips as she looked up at him and asked, “Why isn’t Tala enrolled in school yet?”

"She's five," Maui replied as if that fact would answer all of her questions.

“ _And?_ ” Moana pressed on.

“She’s _five,_ ” He repeated before he asked, “Why do you need to know _—_ ”

“Because the age of requirement for a child to attend school is _six_ , and she can’t attend school if she hasn’t been enrolled in one yet by the end of summer, that’ll count as _child neglect._ ” She looked up at him straight in the eyes and _warned_ him, “And that wouldn’t look good on your case _—_ ”

Maui towered over her and said in an exasperated tone, "What do you want for me?! I’m trying the _best_ I can _—_ ”

“ _It’s still not good enough!_ ” Moana shouted.

Maui finally threw his hands in the air and said with dripping sarcasm, “ _Oh!_ _Of course_ , it's not good enough! You’ve got your standards so high not even _God_ can’t reach it!”

Moana then swatted the back of her left hand to the palm of her right hand and said, “I’m trying to help you become a better parent _—_ ”

  
He backed up and pointed a patronizing finger at her, “ ** _Whoawhoawhoa!_** _No_ , what you’re doing is bossing me around and pointing out what _I’m_ _doing wrong _—__ ”

“Daddy!” Tala shouted from inside as she ran out the door. Maui quickly got down on one knee and hugged her tight. Tala then looked up at her father, with her hands pressed against exposed the white singlet beneath his unbutton light blue Hawaiian floral patterned t-shirt.

Tala then clambered up his arm and hung off before she asked with a giggly tone in her voice, “Can we get ice cream?”

"Can we?" Maui repeated with a slightly teasing tone in his voice, " _I don’t know_ …” He slowly raised his hand up and started wriggling his fingers. Tala gasped and tried to climb down her father’s arm as quickly as she could, but Maui had caught her and lifted her shirt up so he could blow raspberries on her belly. Tala screeched out in laughter as she tried to wiggle herself free.

He continued, “I think you need more _veggies._ ”

“ _Apples!_ ” Tala declared.

Maui chuckled and said, “Okay, we can get some ice cream.”

“Can Aunty Moana come too?” Tala asked as hung off her father’s arm. Maui faltered for a moment and then looked up at her. Hesitation washed over their eyes as they gazed up at one another, but Tala continued on begging as she gave him those big puppy dog eyes. “ _PLEEEEEEEASE!_ ”

Maui shrugged and waved his hand over at Moana, “Well, it’s up to _her_.”

Tala then immediately turned to Moana and said, “ _PLEEEEEASE_ Aunty.”

Moana looked at Tala, then at Maui, and then Tala again before she opened her mouth with her mind mostly made up to refuse… 

Till Tala then added, "It's just ice cream." Moana raised an eyebrow and switched her gaze from Maui to Tala and then to Maui once more before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then she turned her attention to Tala again and finally said, " _Okay_ , I’ll come with you.”

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  
“What’s for breakfast?” Were the three words that left Nikau’s lips as he finally stepped out of the spare bedroom within his niece’s dorm room. Aroha looked away from the book she was reading, turned to face him as she laid with her back pressed against the sofa arm and her knees up.

“You know how to cook, Uncle Nick, go make it yerself.” Came Aroha’s reply while she turned back to reading.

Nikau ignored her remarked and said, “Make me a coffee will ya?”

Aroha closed her book and looked up at him before she said, “You got two hands and the coffee machine’s over there on the counter, you know how to make a cup.”

“You’re lucky I’m in no mood you to give you a smack to the mouth fer your back talk, girl.” Nikau retorted as he slammed the fridge shut, finding that none of her health _vegetarian_ foods fitted with his meat-loving self.

“Where’d you get your protein from, Aroha?” Nikau asked in obvious disapproval, “Don’t tell me you get ‘em from beans _—_ ev’rybody knows vegetarian diets is nothing but bull _—_ ”

"It's not to me," Aroha replied as she looked up at him from where she lounged. She then heard her uncle grumbling about the money he’d wasted on the two sausage rolls he’d ordered for her. “Sorry,” She replied before adding, “I should’ve told you.”

Nikau remained silent as he finally went over and made himself a cup of coffee. Aroha continued to observe him, before she finally asked, “So what brings you here to Hawaii?”

“ _Personal business._ ” Nikau replied firmly as he began stirring the creamer in his coffee. He was annoyed _—_ but grateful for his niece’s help _—_ and _this_ was what family was all about, helping your own flesh and blood where credit is due. Then the thought of Maui _—_ his so-called “baby brother” popped into his head and all he could say about him was, “ _Ungrateful prick…_ ”

“Who you talking about, Uncle Nick?” Aroha asked from the couch.

“No one you should know.” Nikau replied.

Aroha frowned, put her book down on her oak coffee table, and stood up from the couch. She turned, her long dark curly hair swaying, “You were talking about Uncle Maui weren’t you?”

“S’what?” Nikau replied shrugging, “It’s the truth, he shouldn’t be havin’ those kids and you know it. ‘Roha.”

Her eyebrows narrowed down in disapproval as she turned to face him, “No, they deserve their father, especially after what happened to their mother, and _you_ know it.”

Nikau felt himself stiffen as he turned his back to her. Aroha finally walked over to him and asked, “Why are you here, Nikau?”

He retorted, “That’s Uncle Nick to you.”

"Right now, you're my guest," Aroha replied.

He paused for a moment for and scoffed as he took another sip of his coffee, while still keeping his back turned to her

“Don’t you think that they’ve lost enough?” Aroha asked, “Don’t you think Maui’s lost _—_ ”

“ ** _TSK!_** ” Nikau replied, “That boy dunno the meanin’ of loss. He knows _nuthing_ ‘bout it. Now those poor girls of his _—_ they’re dealing with the grief ‘lone and you think he cares? Not a fatass chance _—_ ”

 

"I think you're judging him too quickly." Aroha pointed out, "He's trying the best he can." She walked over to where her second youngest uncle stood and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Y'know he is."

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

   
  
The high call of the seagulls echoed in the sky, as the sounds of crowds echoed from O'ahu's well-known beaches. Maui closed his eyes and took a deep breath of ocean air, before he brought his closed hand up to lips, licking the melted spills of chocolate ice cream off his fingers.

He then turned to the sounds of slurping and looked to his right, there stood Tala licking, sucking, and using any method she could think of to finish her cookies and cream flavoured ice cream.

He then turned to his right, where Moana stood holding her tilted cup of melted vanilla ice cream in her hand. She looked completely lost in thought as she stared out into the ocean before her, while she felt the wind blowing her long, wavy-curly hair.

She slowly closed her eyes and for a brief moment, caught the scent of jasmine in the air and whispered one name, “Lani…”

 

Maui froze slightly to hear his late wife's name and slowly turned to face Moana again. She had a mournful look on her face as stared at the ocean before she informed the two, “I remember this is where we first met as kids.”

“Really?” Maui asked in a breathless voice.

"Yes," Moana replied as her eyes scanned the beach before she finally said, "But it looks completely different than twenty-six-years ago…" She nodded in response to the memory, "Yeah… there weren't that many people then."

 

“Were you and Mommy happy?” Tala asked after she’d switch sides and now stood to Moana’s left.

Moana chuckled and said, “What do you think?”

“Yes!” Tala replied. Maui chuckled and reached down to ruffle his daughter’s hair. Tala looked up at them both and said, “I think you and Mama were very happy when you were little!”

“Well, you’re right about that.” Moana replied, “We were, _very much._ ” She then got down, still holding the cup in her hand and asked, “How about you? Do you feel happy with it being just you, your sister and father now?”

Tala paused for a moment and slowly nodded, "Yep! I do." She then stopped and looked up at them both for a moment, and then she looked down, twirling her ice cream cone around her hand as she said in a soft whisper, “But I’d like it if Daddy, Hina and I could spend more time together.”

 

Maui knelt down beside his youngest daughter and said, “Hey, there’s nothing I’d love more than to spend time with you girls _—_ you know that.” He switched his ice cream to his right hand and carefully brought his daughter closer to him. "I love you and your sister more than anything in the world, and that'll never change." He pressed his lips to the side of his little girl's soft head, and continued, “And that’ll never change.”

 

“I miss Mama...” Tala whispered.

"I know, Baby, I miss her too," Maui whispered as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“I miss you too, Papa.” Tala replied as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes, “Why’d you leave us with Aunty Waiola and Uncle Kahua?”

Maui took a deep breath and sighed, “Well... Daddy, needed some time alone to miss Mama too…”

“Why can’t we miss her together?” Tala asked.

Moana smiled sadly at her words… and for a moment she sounded just like Lani did. That nearly brought tears to her eyes, and she felt her heart skip a bit from the grief.

 

Then… “Moana?”

She went wide-eyed as her heart sank. She recognized that almost sing-along voice anywhere.

“Alani _—_ _Alani!_ ” Came the sound of Mr Kahale from behind her. Moana slowly turned around while Maui quickly stood up and scooped Tala up in his arms, ready to make a run for it when his oh so gracious former mother-in-law shouted his name,

“Oh Maui!”

He stopped in his tracks and let out a long sigh before he reluctantly turned around, still keeping Tala within his hold as he saw _her_ there.

The dark navy blue sundress, with large white, yellow and red hibiscus flowers, the dark flowing wavy hair, with streaks of silver cascading down several lines of her flowing locks. The slanted eyes, slightly wide nose, and thin bridge. The creases in the corner of her eyes.

This woman with an older version of Lani’s face… _her birth-giver._

“I wasn’t expecting to see you here!” She exclaimed with a sickly sweet tone in her voice. Maui narrowed her eyes at her as he kept a tight grip on his youngest daughter. She paid him no heed and practically pranced over to where he stood and cooed, “ _Oh…_ is this my granddaughter?”

Tala quickly drew closer to her father and whimpered. Maui patted her back and ignored the wonderful feeling of her cool ice cream dripping down his shirt, instead he kept an ear out for the scared whimpers _his little girl_ was letting out and he didn’t like it… not one bit.

“Morning Moana,” Mr Kahale greeted the young woman.

“ _Morning_ ," Moana replied courtly, though she tried to hide the disdain in her voice as she faced the man, this skinny, man with his short graying dark hair hidden beneath a straw sunhat, and dark olive complexion, dressed in a white shirt, neatly pressed slacks that were held up together with a couple of braces.

“Well, we were certainly weren’t expecting to see you two here.” Mr Kahale added.

“ _NOOOOO!_ ”

“ _Hey! Hey! Hey!_ Back off!” Maui shouted as he purposely pulled his arms away from Alani as she started snatching Tala out of his arms. Alani then drew herself back and let out a nervous chuckle for before she looked up at her former son-in-law.

Maui fought hard not to glare daggers at the woman before him as he kept his left shoulder, the one handling Tala, well away from her view, while his right hand continued patting her back soothingly, as to calm her tears from the ordeal.  

“Oh, I’m sorry honey _—_ I didn’t mean to scare you _—_ " Alani replied before she looked up at Maui for a moment and tried to peek at Tala over his shoulder, but he kept blocking her from seeing his little girl.

“I’m your grandma dear.” Alani announced in a sing-a-long voice, “Your mommy’s mommy _—_ I’m sure _Daddy_ has told you all about us, right?”

Maui felt his blood starting to bubble and burn at the sight of this woman. In fact, his face felt hot at that moment. Moana then made a move in the corner of his eyes and slowly shook her heads, and written in her eyes were the words, _calm down. Don’t play into their game._

“C’mon let Gramma see me you _—_ ”

“ _NOOO!_ ” Tala screamed as Maui turned around and started whispering words of comfort to her, while all the while, he’d wanted more to punch this woman out of their whole galaxy.

“Easy, easy, _easy_ , Little Dolphin _—_ this is your grandmother, Alani _—_ ” Maui introduced her as he slowly started to turn the other way around so, his former mother-in-law could get a good look at _his daughter._ She kept screaming _no_ , but he kept doing it… he needed to do it if he wanted to avoid any _alienation_ charges _—_ _wait a minute._ They were grandparents, they _have_ _no rights._

 

Slowly Maui then turned himself around so Alani would be looking at his left shoulder instead, and he could Tala steer clear of this woman. He felt triumphant at that very moment “Sorry, she’s a crying mess, and I don’t want you seeing her like this _—_ ”

“Well, maybe I can _—_ ”

Moana saw where this was going and immediately started shaking her head, signalling him to stop, but he kept going and finally told Lani’s mother, “ _No thanks_ , I know what’s best for my little girl, and _you’re_ not it.”

Maui then pulled Tala off his shoulder as he started to walk, so neither of Lani’s spawners would get the privilege to see her face _—_ they didn’t deserve it, and they never will. _Not while he could do something about it._

He walked past Alani, her husband and then paused for a moment _—_ part of him wanting to turn to face Moana _—_ but he stopped himself, knowing full well doing so, could stir up _unwanted_ implication on her behalf.

“Well, it was nice _bumping_ into you, Moana, but **_uh_** … I gotta spend some quality time with my little girl.”

Moana nodded slowly while trying to hide the hesitation in her eyes as she replied, “Right… you go and do that, and I’ll see you next week _as scheduled_.”

"Got'cha." He replied with a click of his tongue and a quick wink before he turned to Tala as she was finally wiping her tears, "Hey, you wanna get some more ice cream, kiddo?"

 

Tala responded by wrapping her little arms around her father’s neck as far as she could and sobbed against the crook of his neck. Maui took a deep breath as he continued patting her back soothingly, “You’re okay, you’re okay.” He told her, “Let’s get some more ice cream, ‘kay?”

“Okay…” She whimpered. Maui smiled to hear that and for a moment, he’d forgotten his former-in-laws were there.

He pressed a fatherly kiss to her forehead and said, "That's my girl…" He took a deep breath and said, "Okay! Up the saddle, we go!" He lifted her up and sat her down behind his broad neck.

Tala grabbed on to his topknot and moved it like a joystick. “Fly horsey! Fly left!”

“Alright! Here. We. _GO!_ " Maui shouted before he let out a sound mixed between airline jets and horse neighs. Tala let out excited shrills of laughter as Maui then speed-walked to the left through the crowd, and took joy in the sounds of his daughter’s commands.

“Mush! Mush!” Tala said as she continued moving his topknot like a joystick.

 

Moana smiled brightly at the sight for a moment, before she slowly turned her head up to the sky, and for a moment she could just feel that _Lani_ was looking down at all them… gazing at them with her heaven-filled eyes.

Then she felt a tap on her shoulder, and turned to see Alani Kahale herself, trying to act sweet _—_ but she could see seething anger beneath the plastered smile. She then began to request, “Moana, dear, your family and my family have known each other for a very _long time_ , and I don’t want you to feel that _you need_ to do this for me,” Moana remained silent as she continued on listening to her best friend’s _birth-giver_ and her obvious request, “So, I was wondering if you could… _arrange_ a time for your uncle and I to spend some time with our granddaughters?”

 

"I'll see what I can do," Moana replied professionally.

 

   


**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  
“Was that lady really Grandma?” Tala asked before she took her third lick full of her chocolate flavored shaved ice.

Maui sat there in silence with a faraway look in his eyes. This was not how he planned the day to go _—_ _not at all_. All those six years of trying to protect his daughters from these people… all went to waste _—_

“Daddy?”

He snapped back to reality and realized that they were still sitting on the park bench and that his orange flavoured shaved ice was melting. Maui slowly turned his head toward where the image of his daughter’s worried face, slowly grew and grew more apparent, with each angle his neck took as he finally, faced her.

_He couldn’t hide it anymore._

"Yep, that was Grandma," Maui replied softly before he took one last look at his orange flavored shaved ice, stood up and threw it in the bin next to the bench. The thought of his _loving_ mother-in-law made his stomach churn, and his insides twisting in knots.

The sweetness made him sick… _she was sick_. After all, what _mother_ could harbor such hatred for someone as gentle, sweet, and _loving_ as Lani had been. Was it jealously?

Was she jealous that Lani was everything she is _not?_ That made his _blood_ boil.

 

"Your ice cream is getting all squishy," Tala noted.

Maui looked down and saw that he’d _crushed_ the paper cone, and his orange flavoured shaved ice was flowing down his fingers. 

Tala then laughed openly, exposing the cute gap between her two front teeth and the dimples on her cheeks, at the confused expression on his face.

He decided to have a bit fun and asked her using his _Firm Daddy_ voice, “ _Aaannndddd…_ just who do _you_ think you’re laughing at, young lady?”

“No one.” Tala replied before she giggled, “Promise.”

He gave her a lopsided smile and asked, “Cross your heart?”

“Yeah… cross my heart and hope to fly!" Tala declared before she drew an X on the centre of her chest.

"Atta girl," Maui replied, chuckling before he leaned down. Tala jumped to her feet and stood on the bench before she and her father exchanged an Eskimo kiss.

 

A few seconds later, the two heard a woman clearing her throat, and then turned and saw Moana standing there.

Maui straightened himself up and cleared his throat as well, “ ** _Uh_** _…_ so, what’s up?”

“Well… I just wanted to say that, _you’re doing_ good.” Moana replied, trying not to sound awkward, “You’re doing good… so keep it up.”

“Sit next to me, Aunty!” Tala begged.

Maui turned to her sternly with one eyebrow raised and reminded her,

“What do we _say_?”

"Please," Tala added.

Moana smiled and replied, “I’d love to.”

Tala quickly scooted over closer to her father and held her shaved ice out to her, “Here Aunty.”

“For me?” Moana asked.

“Uh-huh, try it!” Tala said before she shoved the shaved ice closer to her.

 

Maui then stepped in and put his hand on his daughter’s middle, “Alright, I think we’ve had enough of that.”

Tala then looked up at her father with a confused expression on her face before she said, “But she doesn’t have any ice cream.”

"It's alright," Moana replied with a smile before she added, "My tummy's a little bit _extra_ full today.”

"Oh okay," Tala replied back with her usually perky voice before she continued eating her shaved ice.

“ _Nice save_ ," Maui whispered to her while his daughter wasn't listening.

"Thanks," Moana answered back a soft voice.

“Daddy, can I _please_ play on the swing?” Tala asked him.

Maui nodded, feeling proud that she asked _nicely,_ and then shouted as she rushed away, “Stay where I can see you!”

Moana smiled before she noted, “She’s so much like Lani.”

“Yeah,” Maui replied, still bearing a proud smile on his face as he watched his young daughter, "She is." Moana picked up the slightly sad tone in his voice. She turned and saw that he had that mournful look in his eyes.

She knew what he was thinking, _Lani should be here._ She deserved to see their daughters growing up.

"I miss her too," Moana whispered as she reached up and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Maui slowly turned to face her, the look on his face said it all, _she’d hit the bullseye._ “And you’re keeping it together, _so well._ Keep at it. Make her _prouder_ of you than she already is.”

“And how do you _know_ she’s proud of me?” Maui couldn’t help but ask.

“That’s how she is _—_ or _would’ve been._ ” Moana replied, her smile disappearing for a moment, “And, I _just_ know she’s still around, _watching_.”

Maui turned to face her with a smile on his face before he turned and saw that his daughter had stopped swinging, and in fact was by the sandpit, looking down at her own shadow _—_ and dancing with it every few seconds, before she stopped with a surprised look on her face.

 

“Remember when you used to do hula dancing?” Maui then blurted out _—_ his eyes then widened once the realization hit. He was talking about the past _—_ _their past._

“ _Used to_?” Moana replied, raising an eyebrow as she purposely ignored the hidden implication of his words. "I still do the hula, _in fact_ , I’m hoping to get in the Merrie Monarch Festival next year.”

Maui found himself smiling to hear that part of her still hadn’t changed _—_ in fact, he found himself oddly… _elated_ to hear that. “So, where’s that happening?” He asked.

“Hilo town,” Moana answered.

 

He nodded in approval before he turned to her and said, “Well, I’ll be happy for you.”

Moana rolled her eyes and said, "You make it sound like _I’m_ gonna win _—_ ”

“And why wouldn’t you?” Maui pointed out, “If you’re still as good as I remember, then you’ll _wow_ them all. Like you _wowed_ me once.”

Her heart skipped a beat once more but she quickly shook her head at the notion and took a deep breath.

He saw the reaction his words had on her, and he cleared his throat before awkwardly looked away.

Tala then shouted for him, “Daddy, can you swing me please?”

Part of him felt relieved to be put back on Daddy duty, and he stood up.

 

Moana watched as he walked over to the swing set, and got behind his daughter and started pushing her. A small smile made its way to her lips as she watched the scene playing, and for that split second she could see herself as a young child, around five or so, pushing Lani _—_ who looked so much like Tala did then––before that image flashed, and she saw herself, now as an adult _—_ but a decade younger, just as he had been.

This was the early start of their relationship… back when everything was right for two years, before it all went _wrong._ Part of her did wish she could back to those times, back when life was simpler and back when she believed in fairy tales, where there were happily everafters _—_ where the Prince would get the Princess.

 _Oh,_ how naïve she’d been back then, and now with her ex-husband here… 

 _‘Don’t even go there Moana.’_ She told herself.

“You okay?” Maui asked her out of pure concern, after seeing the expressionless look slowly crawling its way to her face.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.” Moana automatically replied.

Maui opened his mouth to say something when Tala called out to him and asked him to watch her new dance. He immediately turned his attention toward her and saw her showing off her new hula moves. Moana smiled to see Tala performing the hula with a proud look in her eyes. 

“Why don’cha dance with her?” He suggested.

“What?” Moana inquired.

His smile widened as he said, “Dance with her, who knows she might learn a thing or two from you.”

Moana raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why don't _you_ dance with her?”

“Okay, _one,_ I don’t do _the hula,_ that’s for girls, two _—_ ” Maui coughed from the sudden sharp _nudge_ to his gut.

“What about Hiapo? He’s a boy and _he_ does the hula?" Moana shot back.

“He’s definitely _kooky-dooks…_ and you still got it…” Maui replied in an out of breath voice before he sat up.

 

“Daddy, Daddy! Did you see?” Tala asked as she finally spun around with an excited smile on her face.

"Yes, he did." Moana replied with a smile on her face, "And I can teach you more hula moves if you'd like?" 

“Yes please!” Tala replied.

Moana then stood up from the park bench and walked toward her to stand by her side.

 

Maui watched as he sat, as she began teaching his five-year-old daughter some of the traditional hand, feet, legs and hips movements. And he felt that familiar light fluttering feeling in the pit of the stomach _—_ _butterflies _—__ that’s it, he felt butterflies in his stomach, just by watching them _—_ just by watching _her_ all over again.

His realization sank in once more… his old feelings for her _—_ _feelings_ he hadn’t felt since he was a young adult were coming back up again. He couldn’t let that happen right now. Not with so much happening between them. There was so much to lose, especially on his part.

His daughters, he couldn’t lose his daughters––not to those people…  _Waiola_ and Kahua, on the other hand, was a different story. Now, _she_ was more than capable of taking care of them. They were far more capable of raising them than Mr and Mrs. Kahale were. 

Heck, he was sure that _Moana_ would be more capable of raising them than Mr. and Mrs. Kahale. And that’s when the question echoed in his mind, _‘Does she even have kids?’_

Before he could even ponder more on that question, his Nokia rang, and he quickly picked it up.

“Hello?” He answered.

"Maui, this is your manager speaking," Cobra replied on the other line.

Maui quickly jumped out of the park bench, causing Moana and Tala to look over at him in confusion.

The two of them watched and listened as he appeared to be talking to someone.

“Wait, _what?_ ” He asked, “You’re leaving?” He paused for a moment and his eyes widened. He then coughed out in surprise and said in a shocked breathless whisper, “ _You’re promoting me?_ Do I want it _—_ yes! Oh, thank you _so_ much you have no idea how much I need _—_ yeah I’ll be this afternoon _—_ ” Maui put his hand on the receiver and breathed out a sigh of relief. “Yeah, I’ll see you this afternoon _—_ three o’clock. Thank you so much, sir.”

He closed the phone and did a fist pump, “ _Yeeeessss…_ ” He hissed in his excitement. Before he turned around to face them both and exclaimed, “Guess who got promoted!”

 

Tala tilted her head for a moment in confusion and asked, “What’s promoted?”

Maui rushed over to his daughter and lifted her up and spun her around, “It means I’m moving up!”

 

Bubbling excitement slowly erupted in the pit of Moana's stomach as she watched as father and daughter were laughing with joy.

 

 

**  
<III><III><III><III>**

 

 

   
That afternoon at three PM,

Maui knocked on the door to his soon to be former manager’s office, and slowly stepped inside. There, he saw Cobra Bubbles packing his things into one box.

That was surprising _—_ especially for someone as secretive as Cobra Bubbles to have _things_ that could fit in a single box.

“Take a seat Maui,” His former manager ordered as he turned around, walked over to his desk and sat down. Maui then walked over to his desk and sat down by the chair.

 

“As you know,” Cobra began, “I’ve been working for industries for more than forty years, and a decade of that was spent working here.”

Maui nodded and swallowed and felt that he was about to go through another lecture. Cobra raised a bald eyebrow through his dark sunglasses due to Maui’s reaction, and paused for a minute before he said, “As I said, I’ve been working in this industry for over a decade, and it is time for me to move on and pursue a career as a social worker.”

Maui doubled back for a moment and went, “Wait, _what?_ ”

“I’ll go back to social working, and I want you to stand in my place as the manager of the hotel’s security department.” Cobra then lowered his sunglasses and asked, “Think you can handle it?”

"Yes, sir!" Maui replied with a salute.

Cobra nodded in approval before he stood up and extended a hand to Maui, “You’ll have quite the shoe to fit.”

“Oh, I know _—_ ” Maui replied as he took Cobra’s hand and began shaking it as fast as he could while Cobra stood there, still as a statue and completely unfazed by how fast Maui was shaking his hand. “ _—_ Thank you so much, _you have no idea_ how much I needed this _—_ ”

Cobra replied, “Maui, _I think_ I'm well aware how much you've needed this." He then clasped his hand on Maui's shoulder and said, "I wish you luck, Maui. This is a tough business you’re putting yourself through.”

“Oh you don’t have to worry about me _—_ I _got this._ ” Maui assure him. “I _got this._ ”


	7. Ua ola loko i ke aloha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Hey guys!**  
>  **Sorry for the late upload! I'm still recovering day by day, but my motivation to write has returned! Unfortunately, **Tumblr is blocked here, so I can't access it guys.****  
>  :/  
>   
>  **On a side note, I'm back home, and boy is it different!  
> **  
>  **Anyway,  
> **  
>  **I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)  
> **  
> 

* * *

Moana felt nothing but happiness to know that Maui had gotten promoted if only she could get such luxury. So, here she was in her office—working on reports for a boss that she didn't like.

But, she took a deep breath and kept working on her report, when she heard her phone ringing. She stopped what she was doing and answered, "Hello?" A small smile came to her lips to hear her mother's voice on the other side. "How are you?" She asked.

 ** _"_** ** _I'm alright, how are you my little minnow?"_**  Her mother on the other side.

"I'm good," Moana replied, "Just doing some work."

 ** _"_** ** _And how is work treating you?"_**  She asked.

"Just fine," Moana replied with a slightly forceful tone in her voice.

Her mother immediately picked it up and asked,  ** _"What's wrong?"_**

"You'll never believe who I have for a client." She replied.

Her mother paused on the other line before she pondered,  ** _"Who?"_**

Moana said two words her mother never expected to hear, "Maui Tuputala."

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

_"Ms Tuputala."_

_Hinatea kept doodling in her B4 red notebook, completely unaware that her teacher—who coincidentally had looked exactly, and had the same first name and surname as Nani from Lilo and Stitch._

_"Ms Tuputala, have you gone lolo?" Nani exclaimed, "I'm talking to you!"_

_Hinatea quickly snapped out at whatever she was doing and quickly looked up at Nani._

_"_ _What's three multiplied by three?" She asked._

 _"_ _ **Uh** _ _… three?" Hina replied with a shrug._

_Nani sighed a for a moment and shook her head before she replied, "Nine. And how old would you be next year?"_

_"_ _Nine…" Hinatea replied before the class then burst into laughter. Allison and the other girls then started laughing as well._

_Nani then looked at her other students and said, "No laughing. I won't have bullying in this classroom, do I make myself clear?"_

_"Sorry, Ms Pelekai…" The rest of the class echoed. Nani nodded in approval before she turned back and headed to the whiteboard._

_Hinatea then stopped doodling and then started writing down everything that Nani started writing on the board. Her mind slowly wandered, when the intercom came to life and the principal came on._

_"_ _Fellow students, let me remind you that there is an assembly happening at lunchtime today, I repeat there is an assembly happening at lunchtime today."_

 _Nani rolled her eyes and groaned at the announcement. Hina, on the other hand, couldn't wait for assembly to begin… oh, how she couldn't_ _**wait** _ _._

 

  

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Maui wiped his hand against the surface of his  _new_ table and took a deep breath. Here he was…  _manager_  and he was proud of it. Finally, after ten years, he was going to make something of himself. He was going to make something of himself…

He turned to look up at the ceiling—where he hoped Lani was looking down at him. Finally, he sat down on the chair once more. Suddenly the door opened and the hotel's manager then entered.

"Well, well, it's certainly nice to see new management for a change," The Hotel Manager greeted as he entered the room and walked over to his desk. Maui raised an eyebrow and watched as The Hotel Manager then sat down in front of him.

"So," He began, "Welcome to the world of management!"

Maui let out an awkward laugh and replied enthusiastically, "It's…  _great_ to be here." Part of him wondered, what had he gotten himself into?

"Good, good, now—" The Hotel Manager began, "On to  _business._  Has Cobra explained the comes and  _goes_  of being a security manager?"

Maui paused for a moment and said, " ** _Uh_** … no?"

The Hotel Manager bobbed his head, before he leaned back on the chair, "Alright then, for starters—here's a manual." He then pulled out a small pocket-sized book and laid it on Maui's desk, and then he laid a master hotel card in front of him, "And this is a master key to all the hotel rooms."

"And… you want me to keep this?" Maui asked him, just to make sure.

The Hotel Manager nodded and explained, "As Security Manager, it'll be  _your job_  to make sure that this hotel and its occupants— _that includes guests—_ secure."

Maui nodded again in understanding as he looked at The Hotel Manager, though, part of him was still confused as to why he was telling him this?

"So, your job will involve training new security employees—checking  _all the rooms_. Memorize all emergency exits and so on and so forth."

"Okay…?" Maui began, "So, I have to check  _every_   _single room_ … by myself?"

The Hotel Manager nodded.

Maui forced a smile and cleared his throat, "That sounds  _fantastic._ "

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Hinatea sat outside the chair to the principal's office with her legs crossed on the chair as she waited for her Aunt Waiola and Uncle Kahua to come and pick her up—and then give her a scolding back home.

A huge scolding. Well… that was better than having to deal with her dad for the time being. At least her Uncle Kahua would understand…  _more_ than her Aunt Waiola—or her cousin Hiapo for that matter.

What would he think? What would her dad say? Would he be disappointed?

 _'_ _Duh… of course he would.'_ She thought,  _'But I bet Uncle Nick would be proud.'_

Soon the door to the principal's office opened and finally she was called in.

 

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Maui sat down in his office, tapping his fingers in boredom as he continued staring at the computer as he had been for the past  _three hours_. So far from what he could see, things in the hotel were running smoothly—minus the few odd complaints about their in-room safes— _none of which was in his jurisdiction_ —and having to hear more of their tirade, before having the door slammed in front of him.

 _'_ _Is this what Cobra had to deal with?'_  He thought to himself as he continued watching the monitors, just before his phone rang. Grateful for the distraction, he picked up.

"Hello?" He greeted the caller.

 _ **"**_ _ **Maui, where are you?"**_ Waiola asked from the other line.

" _ **Um**_ …  _working._ I got promoted—"

 _ **"**_ _ **Uh-huh,**_   _ **good for you."**_  Waiola replied dismissively,  _ **"Did you get a call from Hina's school today?"**_

"No," Maui replied, "Why?"

 _ **"**_ _ **She made a ruckus during her school assembly today."**_  She reported,  _ **"By performing a Maori haka."**_

"She did what?" Maui exclaimed.

 _**"** _ _**You heard me. She disrupted assembly and got sent to the office."** _

Maui let out a low frustrated groan as he wiped his hand over his face before he asked in a pleading voice, "Please tell me you didn't _ground_ her?"

 _ **"**_ _ **I did what I had to do."**_ She replied,  _ **"She's grounded for a week."**_

"Great…" Maui muttered, "How long do you want to keep her?"

 _ **"**_ _ **A week."**_  She answered,  _ **"That's how long I want to keep her."**_

One week…  _seven days_  at Waiola's place—that seemed punishment enough.

"Alright, alright,  _one week_  and then I want her back," Maui replied.

 _ **"**_ _ **Fine by me."**_  She replied,  _ **"I'll teach her to think twice before doing that ever again."**_

He knew she would _—_ _oh,_ how much he knew. "Take it easy with her _m_ _ama bear,_ she's going through a lot."

 _ **"**_ _ **Don't spoil her Maui. That's the last thing she needs right now."**_ Having said what she wanted to say, Waiola hung up. Leaving him to his work once again.

Maui let out a soft sigh, now he had  _Tala_  to worry about… How was she going to handle sleeping on her own?  _Would he let her stay in his room till her sister came back?_

Part of him wanted to… but another part of him didn't want her to consider his room as  _her second bedroom_.

" _ **Pfft**_ _…_  what's  _one week_  gonna do?" He said to himself, dismissing his concerns away before he continued on staring at the computer screen—

_**KNOCK! KNOCK!** _

"Excuse me Mr Tuputala? I've got a list of missing items here that I need you to look at." A female voice spoke from the other side of his door.

Maui groaned internally and replied, "Come on right in!" The office door then came open and a young brown haired security crew member came in, holding up a stack of papers—about three feet high—and walked over toward his desk, and gently laid down the stack of paper down in front of him.

He resisted the urge to slam his head on the desk… "This is not what I signed up for..." Maui muttered softly to himself before he hesitantly reached for the first paper on the top of the stack and read the list. He shook his head in disbelief and asked himself, "Is this what Cobra had to deal with every day?"

"Not necessarily, sir." She replied.

"Just  _Maui_  okay?" He told her.

"Okay, Maui sir." Came her hesitant replied.

"That's a start—but we'll keep working on it,  _okay?_ "

"Okay, sir…"

Maui looked up at her with one eyebrow raised before he shook his head dismissively before he looked up at the three-foot long pile with dread.

The door closed, Maui finally slammed his head to the desk and let out a pitiful groan.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

Later that night,

" _ **Ya-hey-hey!**_ " Tala cheered as she rushed up the stairs to their upper deck porch before she practically pushed the door open and rushed inside.

Maui let out a long exhausted sigh as he sat down to give himself a bit of a rest on his bike.

"Hurry Papa! Hurry!" She commanded as she waited out the front door.

He took another deep breath and massaged the back of his tense neck as he replied, "Alright! Alright, I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying!" before he got up and parked his motorbike away, and walked over toward the stairs.

Tala was practically stomping in excitement as she waited for him to come by the front door.

Maui took very slow steps as he climbed up the stairs, "I'm… coming…  _uuuuuuppppp_ —"

"Hurry up Daddy!" Tala commanded again. Maui then started running up the stairs with his arms outstretched ready to catch her.

Tala screamed as she raced inside the house. She ran down the hall and raced up the stairs to her room—she just made toward the door, when out of nowhere her father had grabbed her and pulled her away from the door.

"I'm gonna eat you!" He declared as he lifted her up to his mouth.

" _NOOOOOO!_ " Tala squealed before Maui pretended to take a bite out of her, again and again, and again, finally, he lifted her shirt and blew raspberries on her belly.

She shrilled and laughed, and tried to get away.

Maui finally put her down and chuckled again as she ran into her room and slammed her door shut.

Relieved, Maui turned and plopped himself down in front of his daughters' bedroom door and laid there. His legs ached from the nonstop room inspections, ground inspections and of course giving the rookies the know-how of the hotel area, and yet Cobra had been doing this for  _years_  and he didn't seem to miss a beat. How did a man  _twice his age_  manage to keep it so together?

His daughter's bedroom door opened again and Tala slowly stepped out before laid down behind him, resting her crown above his as she asked, "Can we go to the beach?"

"We're we  _just_  at the beach?" Maui pointed out.

"But I wanna go swimming!" Tala begged him, " _ **PLEEEAAASEEE**_ —"

"Not today sweetheart, Daddy's  _really_  tired." Maui explained, "But tomorrow's good."

"Oh okay." Tala replied as she laid there, with her head toward the ceiling, and then she asked, "Can we see Mommy's stone?"

Maui tilted his head up to look at her for a moment, and he felt his throat dry up. Lani's grave… they hadn't visited the cemetery for two months. It was just too painful  _for him,_ part of his wife's memory was nothing but cold, hard stone, with the letters:  _LANI TUPUTALA 12.1.1988 -_ _4.3.2017_ carved in granite.

Expensive granite _…_ expensive, dirty and  _neglected_  granite. Maybe it would be a good time to come and visit her grave and clean it up.

He then sat up and turned just in time to see Tala roll to lie on her belly.

"That sounds like a pretty good idea," Maui replied with a gentle smile on his face. Tala jumped to her feet and gave him a big hug. Maui put his arm around her and held her tight.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

The ride to the cemetery was a cinch, especially since they avoid all of the main roads and drove toward the scenic route, and just took in the smell of the sea, the wind that cold their faces and of course the views of the mountains and buildings before them.

Within about forty minutes they made it to the area and Maui parked his bike by the front entrance and helped his daughter off before he secured his motorcycle. Completely unaware that Tala had started to walk without him.

Tala slowly entered the cemetery and glanced around at all the headstones there, and took in all of the shapes. Some were tall, some were standard sized and remained her the same stones she'd seen on TV, and some were very flat on the ground—just like her mother's.

"Hey!" Maui remained her as he scooped her up and carried her back out to the entrance. Once out of the cemetery, he set her down and said, "Now, what did I tell you to do  _before_  entering a cemetery?"

Tala paused for a moment before she replied with an unsure tone in her voice, "Ask permission first?"

Maui nodded, " _And?_ "

Tala then smiled as she remembered, "Let  _you_  do the magic stuff _._ "

He reached over and ruffled his daughter's hair, "Atta girl." He stood up and told her, "Now, wait right there while I get the water." He turned and headed back to his motorcycle, got the bottle of water, and headed back to the entrance.

"'Kay, now gimme your hand." Tala wrapped her fingers around her father's forefinger and followed him as he walked into the cemetery.

They walked to the middle of the cemetery, and finally stopped to at one of the many simple flat headstones that laid on the ground––or what was once  _a_  flat piece of stone.

 _It changed_.

"It's Mama's favorite flower!" Tala pointed to the carved jasmine gravestone in front of them.

Maui swallowed the lump in his throat, and slowly released his grip on Tala's hand as he carefully approached the grave, and knelt down beside it. His hands rested against the engravement.

_Here Lies Lani Tuputala,_

_Beloved Wife, Mother, and Cousin._

_Born: 12/1/1988_

_Died: 4/3/2017._

"It looks pretty," Tala remarked as she traced her hand over the stone. She turned to her left and saw her father leaning forward, with his forehead pressed against her headstone with his eyes closed.

"Do you like it?" A woman's voice echoed from behind them.

The two turned and saw a young Hawaiian woman in her mid-twenties with the famous Kameāloha slanted eyes and wavy hair. This was Waiola's and Kahua's second daughter, Mele.

"It was Dad's idea." Mele replied before she added, "You weren't supposed to find out till your  _birthday._  But Mom really pushed for it."

"Remind me to thank your mom,  _later._ " Maui replied in a joking manner before he ran his hand against the headstone, "She would've loved this." He whispered.

"That's why Mom pushed for it," Mele added as Tala started tugging against her light blue sundress.

"Aunty—" Tala called out to her.

Mele continued talking to Maui, "So, I heard that Moana's your new social worker—"

" _Aunty_ —"

Maui shrugged his shoulders in response—apparently, this was the world's idea of a joke. A very  _funny_ joke.

Tala then tugged even harder on Mele's dress with enough strength to almost make her tumble backwards. "Aunty Mele, do you wanna come to the beach?" Tala demanded.

" _Tala_." Maui spoke in a warning tone as he gave her a stern stare, " _We're_   _talking_."

Tala looked down, "Sorry Papa, sorry Aunty."

Maui replied, "That's more like it."

Mele smiled approvingly and said, "Seems like you've got everything under control."

" _Yeah_ ," He replied, "If only I can prove that to Moana."

Mele frowned for a moment and then pointed out, "Moana's not  _that hardheaded._ "

"Moana,  _not_ hardheaded? Okay, you've been in the sun too—"

Mele cut him off and added, "Maui, I've known her longer than  _you_  have. She's not a bad person. She's just passionate about children."

Maui crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head to her statement. "Oh she's a hardhead alright—I might as well tattoo  _world's worst dad_  on my forehead when it comes to her."

Mele raised an eyebrow at his frustration and then added, "Well, maybe this is just as awkward for her as it is for you."

" _Hey_ , what happened in the past should  _stay in the past._  'Kay? Me and her— _we're history._ "

Tala tilted her head for a moment and walked over to tug on her father's shorts. Maui knew exactly what she wanted to ask, and answered her unspoken question with, " _Grown up talk_."

"Oh okay," Tala replied before she turned back and continued on talking to her mother's headstone.

Mele had an inkling from his reaction and asked, "I'm sure you two had  _some_  good moments."

Maui paused for a moment and let out a long sigh.  _She was right._  They had some good moments—but they'd been too young and  _stupid_  to work out their problems like all young couples do.

"Then again," Mele interjected, "It's hard to see eye to eye when you both wanted different things in life."

Maui paused for a moment as the memories started coming back… and she was right, not all of them were bad. Most of them were great in fact. But they wanted different things. He wanted to get married and start a family of his own and she wanted to finish her education and start her career.

And that made him felt like he wasn't part of the equation or  _he_ didn't meet her standards as a man. She would've started her life with or  _without him…_

"What's going through your mind?" Mele asked.

"A lot of stuff." Maui replied, "Your aunt and uncle are here."

Mele paused for a moment and asked, " _Which one?_ "

"Mr and Mrs Kahale." He answered.

Mele frowned and muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm not surprised."

"Really?" Maui asked.

Mele replied as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Yes _really_ … they can smell drama from miles away."

Maui sighed and massaged his temples as he felt a headache coming on.

"Stress?" Mele stated more than asked.

"Yep…  _a lot of it._ " Maui said with another long sigh. He then turned to where his daughter was kneeling by his wife's headstone. He whistled to get her attention, and asked once she turned to face him, "Ready to go, Kiddo?"

"One sec!" Tala replied before she turned back to the headstone and whispered, "Bye Mama." Before she hurried off to her father's side. Maui took her hand and led her toward the entrance, where he stopped right by the front of the gate.

"Alright, hold your hands out," Maui told her. Tala did what she was told, and watched as her father unscrewed the plastic bottle's cap and poured the water on her hands.

Tala rubbed her hands together in a washing fashion for about ten seconds before Maui sprinkled a bit of water over her head. "Alright, you're good to go." He watched as she rushed off to stand by his motorcycle.

Maui smiled before he turned the bottled water around and washed his hands before he left the cemetery. 

 

  

**  
< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

_**SPLASH!** _

Moana returned to the surface, having just enjoyed a nice afternoon swim in Secret Island beach. She ran her sea soaked hair back with her hands as she took a deep breath and leaned back, letting her body float on the surface as she laid there wearing her red and burgundy striped two-piece swimsuit with her back to the water and her front to the sun.

She listened to the sound of waves against her ears and the felt the sun's warmth against her skin, as she inhaled the salty scent in the air.  _Now,_  she finally could feel at peace.

Soon, she heard the rumbling sound of a large wave coming her way and quickly sat up in the water, and leaned forward and waited. The wave crashed over and she swam with the current back toward the shore.

She slowly rose out of the water and headed toward the beach as she felt the water crashing against her feet. Moana pulled her head back and slicked her long curly-wavy hair as seawater cascaded down her legs. She took a deep breath before she proceeded toward her beach towel.

"Moana!"

She turned to look behind and saw Hiapo heading over toward her stop with a surfboard tucked beneath his shoulder. "Taking a day off?" He added.

Moana smiled, " _Sort of_ , I just needed to get away from work. And what better way to take a break than to join in and swim with the waves."

Hiapo then looked over at the large vertical watery whirls and said, "And those waves look pretty choice."

Moana nodded in agreement before she finally sat down on her beach towel.

_**DUNK!** _

She turned once again toward the ocean and watched as the colors of the sea changed from its sunset red back to its natural blue. "It looks beautiful." She noted.

Hiapo smiled as he gazed upon the vast scenery before him and took a big whiff of the fresh air, before he turned to Moana and asked, "Hey, you wanna join the ride?"

"I don't have a board." Moana pointed out.

He shrugged and said, "You could always rent one if you want?"

A small smile came to her face before she chuckled and added, "Not if I'm saving up to buy a new house."

"Why not just stay with us?" Hiapo asked her, "You're practically one of the family—"

"I can't live like that." Moana replied, "Besides I can't live under your parents' roof forever."

"But you'll be safe." Hiapo pointed out, Moana turned to him for a moment with shock written all over her face, and he explained, "Mom and Dad told me a little bit about what was going on, and yeah we're all worried."

"Don't worry about it," She replied, "You'll have plenty of time to be worried about  _grown-up_  things later."

Hiapo smiled for a moment as he pointed out, "Not with my mom, she  _always_  makes sure we worry about the grown stuff." He looked down at her for a moment and then saw the small white scratch marks across her legs, and he frowned for a moment.

Moana quickly put her legs up to her chest and told him, "Enough of that, go on and enjoy the waves."

"Thanks," Hiapo replied as he rose to his feet and then walked off toward the shore. Moana smiled as he laid his surfboard near the water, laid down on its smooth surface and swam toward the waves, from there, she felt a sense of surprise at his surfing skills.

He was good… he was  _really good._

" _ **WOOHOO!**_ " Hiapo cheered, throwing his arms in the air as he and his board slid across the waves.

Moana's smile widened as he performed a glided across the top of the waves.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

"Daddy?" Tala called out as she laid down on the porch, looking up at the starry sky while her father laid down beside her.

"Yeah?" Maui answered as he kept looking up.

"Do you like Aunty Moana?" Tala asked as she turned to look at her father. He immediately became tense at her question… and he slowly turned to see his daughter's curious gaze.

"Define ' _like'?_ " Maui asked.

Tala paused as she thought for a moment, before she answered, "Like a friend." A secret sense of relief overcame him when he heard her answer.

"Well," He began, "Yeah…  _yeah_ , I do."

"Did you know Mama and her at the same time?" Tala asked.

He paused again before he took a deep  _deep_ breath and finally answered, "Yeah I did, but that was a  _long_  time ago." He chuckled before he added, " _Way_  before you and sister were born."

"How long?" She asked.

"What it is with you and wanting to know stuff?" He asked.

" _I asked first."_  She pouted.

"And  _I_  think that's enough for tonight," Maui told her and added as he saw that mischievous look in his daughter's eyes. " _No puppy face._ "

Tala sighed before she turned and looked up at the sky once more.

"Do you think Mommy's up there too?" She asked.

"I  _know_ so." He replied with a confident smile on his face as he turned to face Tala, expecting to see a smile on her face, but instead he saw a frown on her lips, "Hey what's wrong Kiddo?"

" _Nothing_ ," Tala replied as she looked down and started playing with her hair. She looked up at the sky and gazed upon the twinkling stars once more. She looked down at her hands once more. "Daddy?"

"Yeah?" Maui immediately answered as he turned to lie on his side, while he kept his fatherly gaze upon his daughter.

"Do you miss your mommy too?" Tala asked.

 _Now,_  that was a question he certainly wasn't expecting…

He paused for a moment and took a deep breath. Of course, he missed her, but he could barely remember her. He was only eleven-years-old the last time they met and that was during his grandfather's funeral back in Samoa, when she came,  _alone._  That was all she could afford back then… but she seemed to be well off now… from what she wrote in her letters.

"Yeah, I miss my mom too." Maui replied, "A lot."

"Do you sometimes wish she were here?" Tala asked.

" _Every day._ " He answered.

She paused once more and sat up before she finally got to the question that had been troubling her mind. "Do you sometimes wish you had a mommy here again?"

Maui quickly sat up and turned to her, "Is that what this is all about?" He asked.

Tala nodded slowly before she slowly confessed, "Sometimes Aunty Waiola is like my new mommy, sometimes it's Aimata or Mele or Hiapo. And yesterday it was Aunty Moana. Sometimes when there's a mirror I can see Mama looking back at me… but then I remember it's  _just me._ "

He reached over for his daughter and pulled her close, "Hey, hey, it's okay sweetheart. I'm glad you look like your mom."

"But it makes you sad too," Tala added.

He said as he tucked her wavy hair behind her ear, " _Sometimes_ ," and added with a smile on her face, "Most times I feel lucky that I can still see a lot of your mother in you." He reached over and wiped his daughter's tears away with his thumb as he added, "That way, I  _know_  part of your mom lives in you."

He put his arms around her, the very second she jumped and threw her little arms around his broad neck, and he immediately started patting her back with his left hand, "It's okay Baby,  _it's okay._ Just cry it out."

He felt her face burying against his shoulder as her half-muffled voice muttered, "I want Mama again."

Maui closed his eyes for a second and let out a long disheartened sigh.

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

Hina let out a soft sigh before she turned her head to the left, as she stood on the stool washing the dishes, while Moana stood beside her drying them. Hina stopped rinsing for a moment and put the plate down in the soapy water.

"Did you really know my mom?" Hinatea asked.

"You should be washing." Moana reminded her as she dried the next plate.

"I knew it," Hinatea muttered before she picked up the plate she put in the sink.

Moana turned to her once more and asked with one eyebrow raised, as she asked her, "Knew what?"

"You and my dad were an item," Hinatea replied nonchalantly as she picked up the plate she dropped in the sink. Moana nearly dropped the plate in shock, before she finally turned to her once more.

Hina simply stared at her with one eyebrow raised.

Moana took let out a long sigh and finally put the plate in the drying rack as she finally answered, "Yes, we were an item  _a long_ time ago."

"So… you still like him?" Hina asked and stated at the same time.

Moana rolled her eyes and shook her head, "I like him as a  _friend."_

" _ **Ugh**_ …  _typical_." Hinatea replied as she rolled her eyes and shook her head before she handed her a plate.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Moana asked.

"It's one of those stupid sappy love stories Tala likes to watch," Hina replied in annoyance.

"And what's wrong with sappy love stories?" Moana asked her in amusement.

"They're boring and they got too much  _mush._ " Hinatea answered before she shuddered, "When I grow up, I'm  _never_  gonna get married."

Moana couldn't help but chuckle as she stated, "Well, you're only eight. Who knows you  _might_  change your mind."

" _ **Bleck**_ …" Hinatea responded in disgust as she took off the rubber gloves, and jumped down from the stool. She finally turned around and walked away from the kitchen sink.

Moana turned around as she walked off and said, "You know, your mom thought said the same thing when she was your age." Moana told her.

Hina stopped in her tracks as she turned to face Moana, "Really?" She asked, now perked with interest as she whirled around and headed toward the dining table.

Moana walked over and sat across her. "Yes," She replied, "Your mom wasn't a big fan of boys when she was eight." A small smile came to her lips as the fond memories started coming back. All those times they spent together when her family came to Hawaii  _ever_ y summer. "But she grew out of it a few years later."

The excitement on Hina's face turned to annoyance in an instant, "Great…  _another_  romantic."

Moana raised an eyebrow hilarity before she shrugged, "It's up to you in the end."

Hinatea looked up at her for a moment with astonished eyes, and for a moment she felt a sense of familiarity as she said, "That's what my mom would've said."

Moana's mouth gaped slightly in realization, and she took a deep breath to compose herself before she looked up at Hinatea with a sad smile on her face. "I know. Your mom wasn't just my best friend," She put up her knuckles to her lips as she fought the prickling tears in the corner of her eyes, "She was my  _sister,_ and my parents treated her like she was their own daughter."

"They sound like nice people," Hinatea remarked. Moana nodded in agreement before she turned to look at the clock, seven P.M. Too early for them to go to bed.

Hinatea leaned back in her chair as she started tapping her fingers against the table. "So…" She began, "How'd you meet my dad?"

"Do you  _really_ want to know?" Moana asked.

Hinatea simply shrugged her shoulders, seeing there wasn't anything else to talk about… and she wasn't allowed to watch T.V for a whole week. Moana smiled once more and took a deep breath.

"Well," Moana started, "For one, your mom and I met him together in Samoa, and two, we all were teenagers when we met. Your mom and I were seventeen at the time, and he was our eighteen-year-old cab driver."

Hinatea immediately raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Dad was a  _cab driver?_ "

"Oh yes," Moana replied with a smile, "And he just as boisterous as he is now."

"What's boisterous mean?" Hinatea asked.

Moana clasped her hands together and leaned forward as she explained, "It meant that he was uncontrollable—especially when it came to showing off. And  _oh,_  he loved showing off."

Hinatea immediately backed up and looked at her as if she grew a second head.  _Uncontrollable?_  Her dad?  _'No way…'_ She thought.  _That_ wasn't the daddy she knew. He was fun,  _yeah_ , but he  _uncontrolled_.  _Nope._  " _ **Um**_ … you sure you're talking about the same  _guy?_ " She asked with pure skepticism.

Moana nodded as her smile widened slightly, "I'm  _one hundred and ten percent_  sure _._  The first thing he did when we got to Two Dollar Beach was showing off  _all_ of his tattoos," She then laughed at the memory, "And in truth, I didn't find it that impressive. In fact, I showed him my own  _malu._ "

"How did my mom react?" Hinatea asked.

"She was impressed." Moana narrated, "And that's when she got the idea to get her own  _malu_  while we were there."

"So she got it right away?"

Moana shook her head and added,  _"After_  father then gave his permission and discussed it with our family tattooist. In fact, he even offered to pay for the tattoo himself."

"Did it hurt?" Hinatea asked her.

Moana nodded slowly as she looked down at the eight-year-old girl with an affectionate smile on her face. "But your mother handled it like a true Samoan woman, and bore the pain." Part of her felt she was talking to her own daughter… or would've, if she could've had her own children.

But she couldn't… she knew that much, especially after six years of trying with no results.

"You okay, Aunty Moana?" Hinatea asked her out of pure concern to see the distant look on her face.

Moana looked up at her and nodded with a reassuring smile on her face, "I'll be okay."

Kahua then cleared his throat as he stood by the archway, dividing the kitchen/dining room and the living room, "Hinatea don't you have some  _homework_  to do?" He asked her.

Hinatea groaned before she laid her head on the table. Both Moana and Kahua slammed their hands on the surface of the table, making her jolt before Kahua asked her with a  _reminding_  tone, "Hina, are the dining tables meant for sleeping or eating?"

" _Eating._ " Hinatea sighed before she pushed herself away from the table, and hopped off the chair. Moana and Kahua watched as she slowly made her way out of the dining room and disappeared down the living room.

With her gone and  _hopefully_  tending to her homework, Kahua then made his way toward the fridge and opened the freezer. He paused, still holding the freezer open as he asked her, "Ice cream?"

"Sure," Moana replied with a polite smile.

_**THUD!** _

Kahua closed the door and pulled out the large tub of cookie dough flavoured ice cream, and headed over to the counter.

Moana smiled as he came walking over, carrying two spoon filled bowls and the ice cream toward the dining table, before he placed them on its wooden surface. He reached over and handed her the bottom bowl.

"Thank you," Moana replied as she held the ceramic bowl in her hands, while Kahua opened the lid and gave her three scoops.

"Nothing beats your troubles away than cookie dough flavoured ice cream." Kahua declared with the usually enthusiastic tone in his voice, "So? What were you two talking about?"

"Hina wanted to know how her dad and I met," Moana replied before taking a spoonful of her ice cream.

"And? What did you tell her?" Kahua asked before he took his own bite of ice cream.

"The truth." Moana assured him before taking another bite, "Lani and I met him as a cab driver in Pago Pago, and he was a show-off."

"Well, he's not one now!" Kahua laughed before he added with a slightly "He's trying  _really hard_."

Moana smiled, "I know, but as his social worker he has standards to meet."

"I know." Kahua replied, "But you need to  _relax_. Everything will work itself out."

"Not with Lani's parents back in town."

Kahua nearly choked on his fourth bite of ice cream as he exclaimed, " _What?_ " He looked at her with wide eyes, " _They're_  here?"

Moana nodded confirming his fears.

Kahua then leaned back in his seat before he ran his hand through his thick graying hair before he took let out a long  _deep_  worried sigh. Before he started tapping his fingers against the surface of the table in concern.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to let them take the girls," Moana assured him.

Kahua shook his head, "That's not what I'm worried about… Alani has  _all the money_  in the world… and everyone knows that  _money_  makes the world go round…" He paused for a moment and let out a tired sigh, "No, you're right…  _that's_  what I'm worried about, and with her wealth—she has the strongest leverage."

"And Maui has no money?" Moana asked him as she subconsciously took up her social worker persona.

"There's  _that_  voice again." Kahua added forcing a chuckle to ease any tension that  _may_  arise, before he took another bite of his ice cream, "Listen Moana, Maui  _has_  money… but not a lot. But he  _is_  trying. Just give him a chance, ocean."

Moana smiled as she added, "You haven't called me  _that_  since I was eight."

"Is that  _a problem?_ " Kahua pointed with a teasing grin on his bearded face.

"We all need to grow up sometime, Uncle Kahua," Moana replied. Kahua stuck his tongue out at her in response, before he continued eating his ice cream.

Moana simply giggled as she shook her head, and remarked, "You and Aunt Waiola are polar opposites, it's a _miracle_  you two lasted thirty-two years."

Kahua blew raspberries at her as a joke, before he shot back, " _Opposites attract._  And  _you_  of all people should know."

Moana sighed as she shook her head. Kahua stopped mid-scoop and put his spoon down, realizing that he'd struck a nerve. "Moana, I didn't mean it like—"

"I know you didn't." Moana cut him off, "It gets hard sometimes, especially since I've been assigned this case."

Kahua frowned in sympathy before he asked her, "Why not let someone else take then? It'll save you the heartache."

"I wish I could Uncle Kahua, but I'm on my last rope." Moana explained before she sighed and muttered, "I wish you and Aunt Waiola would understand that."

Kahua frowned once more before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he replied, "I understand, believe me, I understand. Sometimes… we have to do things we don't want to do for the good of other people."

Moana smiled as she let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Uncle Kahua—" She paused for a moment to the sounds of him slurping the melted ice cream from his bowl. She cleared his throat and that drew his attention. Kahua stared at her in his father-like gaze with the added mischievous glint in his eyes, before he slowly lowered the bowl and raised it toward her.

She raised an eyebrow for a moment, before she lifted her own bowl toward him with a small smile, knowing exactly what he wanted to do, after all, his  _slurping_  was the signal.

The two of them had a distant  _toast_  before the  _drank_  their melted ice cream. Following the childhood tradition, she and Lani once shared with him all those years ago.

 

 

**  
< III><III><III><III>**

 

   
"Alright, time to wash your face," Maui said as handed Tala a wet cloth, while he stood by the sink, ready to wash the dishes. Tala hopped off her seat and rushed to grab the cloth from her father's hand before she ran off to the bathroom.

Maui waited till…  _ **SLAM!**_  He chuckled once and started up on cleaning, but he barely started up with the plate in his hand, when a knock came from the front door.

He let out an annoyed groan before he put the plate down in the sink, and walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. He made his way toward the entrance, and took a deep breath to calm himself, just before he opened the door for his  _unexpected_  guest.

Finally, he put his two fingers against the knob and  _turned._  The door slowly opened and Maui was ready to welcome his  _unexpected_  visitor when he heard a strangely familiar older woman's voice ask him, "May I come in?"

He opened his eyes, and he  _couldn't_ believe who it was standing right outside his porch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **List of terminology:**  
>  Ua ola loko i ke aloha: A Hawaiian proverb that means: Love gives life within.


	8. He ‘Olina Leo Ka Ke Aloha

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slightly late update! This chapter was quite the bit to write! XP  
> But I'm glad that it's done and posted, and I hope you'll enjoy it!

 

* * *

The graying long dark curly hair fashioned into a half-topknot, the gentle brown round eyes, the thick dark eyebrows and her angled face though slightly wrinkled with age, her thin lips curved into a creased dimpled smile, the jeans and the jean jacket over her red shirt… her thin but healthy frame. _This_ was the woman who’d given birth to him and his four older brothers and sister. “Cat got your tongue, _tāku kōmata_?” She said with a slightly teasing tone in her voice, “Too surprised to see your old mum?”

The New Zealand accent was still thick in her voice.

She smiled as he stared at her blankly, dressed in a simple dark blue A-shirt, beige khakis shorts and red flip-flops, and his thick curly hair fashioned up in a topknot.

Maui slowly snapped out of his trance and carefully moved to one side so she could enter. His mother smiled, “ _Tēnā koe_.”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

   
 

**_Tap. Tap. Tap._ **

  
Maui and his mother sat across one another at his dining table in complete silence. Till Maui cleared his throat and asked, “So… _oā mai oe_?”

His mother smiled and said, “ _Manuia Fa’afetai._ _Ae ā oe_? How have you coping?”

“ _Good._ I’m good. And you look really good… for your age _—_ ” He replied, though she sensed the strain in his voice.

She looked up at him and said, “I’m sixty-two now,  _tikitiki_.”

“Oh… **_uh_** … right.” He replied chuckling before he remarked sincerely, “Well you don’t look a day past fifty, Mom.”

His mother replied, “Thank you, son.” Before she replied with a small grin, “You sound like an American with that accent of yours.”

“And you sound like a true born Kiwi.” He replied.

"It should've been the other way ‘round. Me with the Yankee accent and you with…" She took a deep breath and said, " ** _Oh_** … you were just a wee fella when they took you.”

“Government right?” Maui asked.

“Parliament.” His mother explained, “We call them Parliament down in New Zealand.”

He scoffed and shrugged, “ ** _Pfft_** …  _Same concept._ ”

“To each their own.” His mother replied forcing a smile once more, before she looked around at his kitchen and nodded, “You’ve made quite the life here.” Then she turned to him and said, “It might not mean much coming me, but…I’m really proud of you son.”

“That means _a lot_ to me Mom. _Really._ ” Maui replied with a smile before the realization hit, “Hey, you want anything to drink?”

His mother smiled and said, “Yes please.” Maui quickly got up and headed over to the fridge, while his mother sat there looking around at his kitchen once more. “Do you mind if I have a look around?” She asked.

“You can stay here if you want, Mom?” Maui told her as he pulled two sodas out of the fridge.

“That’s alright son, I’ve already booked a hotel here.” She replied as he walked over back to the table, and handed her a bottle. “Cheers.” His mother unscrewed the cap and drank it like she hadn't drank in days.

In fact, the _way_ she was drinking reminded him of how _she_ was during his childhood.

“You okay, son?” His mother asked as the top of the bottle parted from her lips.

“Yeah, _yeah._ ” Maui replied before he started massaging the bridge of his nose, “Just _bad memories_.”

His mother nodded in understanding, “Well, I didn’t think it would be easy for you to see me… after all this time. You lot didn’t have the best time growing up. Especially you.” She then started nursing the bottle in her hands, before she looked up at him and added, “Well, not till my folks came and got you.”

“Yeah, Grandma and Grandpa were good people.” Maui replied, “I’m glad that I had that time with them.”

“They certainly brought you up better than I ever could.” She told him before she took another swing of her soda. “But, I still need to apologize—”

Maui then reached forward and took her hand in his, “Hey, hey, _Mom._ It’s fine, I’m a parent too, _remember?_ You did what _you_ thought was best… and you were right.”

“Daddy?”

The two then turned to face the opened archway, where Tala had unknowingly stood throughout their whole conversation.

Maui’s mother turned to her for a moment and her breath left her lips, and she could feel the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. “Hello there,” She greeted as she wiped the corners of her eyes with her thumb.

Tala silent waved to her as she took a wary step forward her father. Maui nudged his head to the left, urging her to come inside. “Hey kiddo, come on over and meet your other grandma.”

The two watched as she took slowly cautious steps toward them as she steered herself forward to her father. Maui’s mother smiled as Tala then gripped the helms of his shirt. 

“She’s a shy one isn’t she?” His mother noted with a gentle tone in her voice.

“Nah, just traumatized.” Maui replied as he reached down and pulled her up, “Let’s just say we had a _run-in_ with unwanted company yesterday.”

His mother got the hint and slowly nodded her head in understanding, she turned to Tala and gave her a friendly smile and nod, and then turned to look up at her youngest son. “Not so much of wee fella anymore are we?” She remarked.

“ _Mom—_ ”

She grinned and added, “Well, look at _you._ You’re the biggest out of all your brothers. I gave birth to you a month early and you turn out like this. Toa would jealous to see you.”

Maui hardly knew his eldest brother Toa, in fact, the only thing he remembered was that; he had been nineteen and had been a gang member for five years. “ ** _Ummm_** … what does he look like?” He asked her.

“Oh, you wouldn’t recognize him, son.” His mother replied and added with a happy smile, “I barely did when he got on the plane with me.”

“Plane?” Maui spoke, raising his eyebrow and crinkling his nose, and then saw the smile on his mother’s face. “ _He’s here?_ ”

His mother nodded and informed him, “He used his savings and booked a ticket here as soon as he could.”

“ _Why?_ ” Maui asked with suspicion as Tala looked up at him with confusion.

“He wanted to see his daughter.” His mother replied.

“He has a daughter here?” Maui inquired, and his mother nodded in confirmation.

His mother then lifted her head and told him, “He named her after Aroha.”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  

“So, how’d ya get arrested, Uncle?” Aroha asked as she stood by her electric stove, preparing leek and potato soup, dressed in her favorite blue and white tank top and light brown shorts.

Nikau answered without taking his eyes off the television, “None of yer business, girl.”

“Come on, you can tell me.” Aroha told him a teasing tone, “It can’t be half as bad as what Dad used to get into.”

“Misdemeanor,” He reported, “Your cousins and I took off with a little girl’s bike.”

Aroha could barely hold in her laughter as she started adding and stirring the milk into the soup. She then turned to the couch, hoping to see her uncle’s reaction to her laughter, but all she saw was him staring at the T.V as he watched the game.

“You know, Hinatea got into a bit of trouble today.” She informed him before she turned off her stove, “She disrupted assembly.”

“S’what?” Nikau replied as he turned his head toward his eldest niece.

Aroha then turned around to face him as she added, “With _Ka Pioioi_.”

“ _Kapa haka?_ ” Nikau said as he nodded his head in approval, before he frowned, “She got in trouble for _that?_ ”

“We’re not in New Zealand anymore, Uncle.” Aroha reminded him, “The education system’s different—”

 

 ** _Knock_**. **_Knock_**.

 

Aroha left her kitchen and headed over to her front door. She looked into the peephole and quickly opened the door.

A strong built forty-five-year-old man, with long dark dreadlocks, a leather jacket with large gang’s patch sewn on the back, dark pants and sunglass stood outside her door, but what she recognized most was the _ta moko_ that covered his forehead and stretched down to his nose and cheekbones.

“Dad?” Aroha asked, “What are you doing here?”

“ _What?_ I can’t miss my oldest girl?” He replied in a semi-sarcastic voice. Aroha smiled as she leaned forward, the same time he leaned down and placed his hand on his daughter’s shoulder. The two pressed their foreheads and noses together and exchanged breaths in a _hongi._

Soon, the two pulled away from one another, and Aroha said as she looked up at him, “You’re the second surprise today.” Before she stepped aside and waved her hand inside, motioning to come in.

Toa stepped inside and carefully closed the door behind him. He stopped as he spotted a familiar someone sitting on the couch. Finally, he took off his glasses.

  
Nikau recognized the voice and the sound of Toa’s boots and didn’t bother to turn his head around.

Toa then turned to his daughter and asked, “He treating you alright?”

“Yeah.” Aroha replied with a reassuring smile, “He’s been on his best behavior.”

Toa nodded in acknowledgement to his eldest daughter’s words… but he didn’t trust Nikau one bit. He then told Aroha which hotel he was staying in and added, “You’ll be alright.”

“You’re leaving already?” Aroha questioned.

“Yeah,” Toa replied as he turned to her for a moment before he turned his head to his daughter's couch. Finally, he turned and headed toward the door with Aroha following behind him.

But just before he left, Toa gripped her by the shoulder and told her in a soft voice, “Call me anytime you need it.”

“Yeah sure," Aroha replied while trying to sound optimistic.

Toa then gripped her shoulder once more and told her, “You’re doing me proud, girl. Keep at it.”

“ _Āe_ ," Aroha replied.

“ _Ka pai tōku tamahine._ ” Toa replied, “Make us proud you hear me, girl?”

Aroha smiled as she stated, “I hear you loud and clear Dad. Tell Nana I said ‘Hi’.”

Toa reached over and brushed his thumb against his daughter’s cheek before he assured her, “I sure will.”

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Maui laughed when Lani screamed in the video as his younger self appeared behind her on the screen, having just slipped some wet sand down her back.

His mother stifled a laugh before she backhanded Maui on the shoulder, “Is that how you treat your wife?”

“ _It’s a joke._ ” Maui told her, defending his actions, “Y’know—just _fun and games_.”

Tala then giggled when her father’s scream came from the TV. Maui and his mother turned back toward the screen—and saw the recorded aftermath of his actions. Lani had retaliated—throwing wet sand on his face while holding a one-month-old Hina on her hip.

“She’s a feisty one, isn’t she?” His mother noted with a proud smile on her face.

Maui scoffed, “ _No._ That was a lucky shot.”

 

 **_“Lani, look over here!”_ ** _Moana shouted from behind the camera, and Lani immediately looked her way as she was, wearing the same styled one-piece swimsuit while holding the video camera. Lani raised her arm and waved at her._

 **_“Behind you!”_ ** _Moana shouted to her just Maui had tried to sneak up on her once more.  
_

“Now, who’s that young woman?” His mother asked.

“That’s Aunty Moana!” Tala blurted out in her excitement, “She was Mama’s _best fr—_ ” Maui quickly clamped his hand over his daughter’s mouth and gave his mother a wide smile. His mother raised an eyebrow in response.  

“She’s our _social worker_ ," Maui interjected while giving Tala a stern look.

His mother simply raised an eyebrow and repeated with a suspicious tone in her voice, “ _Social worker?_ ” She then turned to Tala for a moment and asked, “You mind leaving me and your daddy alone for a moment darling?”

"I don't mind," Tala replied before she hopped off the couch and left the living room.

 Maui's mother waited until her granddaughter had left the room before she turned to her son, and asked, "Is she the same woman you wrote to me about ten years ago?"

“Yeah…” Maui admitted with a long sigh before he leaned back on his sofa.

His mother smiled and added, “But you ended up with Lani instead?”

Maui winced and gave her a nervous chuckle, “Well… it’s _complicated_.”

  
His mother then added, “It can’t be _that complicated._ She’s your ex, who happens to be your social worker now.”

“Right, she’s my _ex…_ that’s the problem.” He replied.

His mother shook her head and told him, “The only one who’s making a fuss about this is _you._ " She then paused for a moment as a sneaking suspicion overcame her, "You're not completely over her, are you?"

He dismissed her claims, “ ** _Pfft_** _!_ Mom, I _married_ her best friend—I had _two_ kids with Lani— _of course_ I'm over her.”

She gave him a knowing smile and said, “They say first love is always the hardest.” She then leaned her head back and added, “I should know. I gave up the best years of my life to the man I loved, and look where it got me.” Soon a look of regret came to her eyes as she continued on, “I missed seeing you grow up. I lost one of my babies… and I never got to meet my youngest daughter-in-law.” She let out a deep sigh, “So much regrets, eh?”

Maui nodded in agreement and sympathy.

His mother then smiled and said, “But I’d do the whole thing over again if it means I get you kids.” She turned to her youngest son and patted him on the shoulder, “You lot were the only good your father could’ve given me.”

“I know what that’s like.” Maui replied before he turned to her and asked, “Why’re you here Mom?”

  
“I came to visit your niece.” She answered with a small smile on her face, “I missed seeing my eldest _moko._ ”

Maui raised an eyebrow and asked, “ ** _Ummm_** _…_ how old is she?”

“Twenty-one.” His mother replied as her smile widened, “And she’s a bright girl, got a scholarship and everything.”

Maui then asked, “She’s the third one in our family to go to college, right?”

“Yes.” She replied proudly before she had a look around at her son’s living room. “You’ve certainly come a long way from where you started, son.”

 

He then smiled as he offered, “Want a tour?”

“I’d love one.” His mother replied with a smile on her face. Maui then stood with his mother standing up after him before he turned and began the door with the hallway.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

His mother then stopped the very second she saw Lani’s picture at the end of the hallway.

“She looks beautiful.” His mother remarked with a smile on her face, she then turned and saw a three-year-old Hinatea standing beside her. “And your daughter looks so much like you at that age.” Maui stood behind her and simply nodded his head in agreement while he kept his eyes fixed on Lani’s image.

His eyes slowly scanned the large photograph in admiration and nostalgia, before he took a deep breath. His mother then slowly turned her head toward him in response to his deep sigh and asked, “Shall we carry on?”

Maui immediately nodded and then proceeded to show her the kitchen.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

“Thanks for the ice cream Uncle Kahua,” Moana said as she stood up and took the two bowls from the table.

“Not a problem, ocean.” He replied with a fatherly smile on his face as she headed to the sink, “Just leave ‘em there, Moana. I’ll clean up later—”

“It’s _fine._ ” Moana insisted as she started rinsing the bowls in the sink. She needed the distraction. _She_ needed the distraction. Talking about Lani was hard… but talking about her past relationship with Maui in front of _his daughter_ of all people.

 Maybe Kahua was right… maybe it was time to call it quits?

 _‘No.’_ Moana told herself. She wasn’t a quitter. _‘When things get hard, you have to fight harder.’_ She lectured herself.

**  
_Knock. Knock._ **

  
Kahua then stood up and left the kitchen to answer the door. “Moana, it’s for you.”

Puzzled, Moana put the bowl in the drying rack and headed over toward the living room.

 

   


**< III><III><III><III>**

 

  
 

Two Hawaiian Sheriffs sat across her, having to deliver bad news. One, The person who broke into her home left no fingers prints or traces of DNA. Two, just as she suspected, the person has a personal vendetta against her.

“Sir,” The Female Sheriff then turned to Kahua, "We're going to have to ask you to come with us to the department—”

Moana then leaned forward and said in Kahua's defence, “He has an alibi.” Before she added firmly, “I promise you that—”

“Ms Waialiki, I have no doubt he’s innocent—but we need to follow standard procedures and rule him out.”

  
Kahua gave her a reassuring smile and nodded in his head, signaling to her that he would be okay. He then turned to the Sheriffs and asked, “Can I have a minute—just to tell my wife where I’m going.”

The two Sheriffs nodded, and one of them then stood up to follow him. Moana turned to the other Sheriff and then asked her, “He had nothing to do with this—”

“I have no doubt about that, but procedures _are_ procedures.” The Female Sheriff replied, “There’s nothing I can do. Now, before I carry on, can you tell me more about a… _Mr Maui Tuputala?_ ”

Moana leaned back in her seat from shock… and then confusion. “How do you know—”

“We looked into your history ma’am.” The Female Sheriff explained, “And from what we could find, you both once shared an apartment together.”

Moana took a deep breath and turned to the two sheriffs, and finally revealed the nature of their _past_ relationship.

 

**  
<III><III><III><III>**

Laughter filled the small patio as both mother and son sat on the hammock, drinking their sodas and enjoying each other’s companies beneath the night sky.

Maui’s mother then looked up at the skies, her face partial glowing from the lit tiki torch to her right.

“Pretty choice view here, eh?” His mother remarked with a smile on her face.

“ _Choice?_ ” Maui said with a questionable look on his face.

“It means impressive— _amazing,_ son.” His mother answered, “You gotta work more on your lingo there, _t_ _ikitki._ ”

Maui said, “Hey, _I_ know what ‘choice’ means… Hiapo uses it all over the time when he’s surfing.” He paused for a moment and added, “I always thought it was a Hawaiian thing?”

His mother chuckled before she shook her head in disbelief, “You really sound do sound like an American, son.”

Maui rolled his eyes and sighed, “Let’s talk about something else aside from my accent, _okay?_ ”

“Sure.” His mother replied, “Well, what would like to talk about?”

Maui then hesitated for a moment… _what_ could they talk about? His sister? Her and his old man—did they really split up like Nikau said they did? _Did he even want to bring that up?_

“What’s going on in that big head of yours?” His mother asked, after seeing the conflicted look on his face—and the way he was twiddling his meaty thumbs.

Then he coughed before he sighed and _explained,_ “ ** _Uh_** … let’s just say _a little bird_ told me that you and…  _Dad_ aren’t together anymore.”

His mother bit her lower lip and grind her teeth before she took a deep breath, "Your brother’s here isn’t he?”

Maui reluctantly nodded, much to her dismay he answered, “Yep.”

“Well, he’s not wrong. Your father and I have been separated for twenty years now. And God only knows where he’s been?”

He stayed quiet in his confusion. His father was still out there somewhere… and Nikau was still in contact with him. His mother then added, “If he’s here that means your father asked him to be here.” She saw the tensed look on her son’s face, but he needed to hear the truth, “Which means… he needs money.” 

“Well… I don’t have any.” Maui rebutted in annoyance.

His mother paused for a moment and then asked, “Do you need any money son—”

“NO!” Maui shouted as he held his hands out in front of her, and then he cleared his throat, “ _No._ Mom, I’m okay… I _meant_ that I don’t have any cash _to spare._ That’s it.”

She smiled for a moment and said, “The offer still stands… if you need money then feel free to ask me.”

  
Maui smiled, “Thanks, Mom.”

His mother smiled back at him, “You’re welcome, son.”

Their moment was short-lived when Tala came rushing up with an excited look on her face. “Daddy! Daddy! I can hear police cars coming!” She grabbed her father’s fingers the minute she managed to climb up to the patio and said, “There’s blue and red lights and everything!”

Maui and his mother slowly stood up from the hammock and then turned to his right, where he could see a sheriff’s car parked on his driveway. He turned to his mother and daughter and said, “Stay here.” Before he marched down the stairs.

 

Tala and her grandmother turned to one another and bore the same mischievous expressions on their faces.

 

 

  
  
**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

“What can I do for you officers?” Maui asked calmly after he opened his front door.

The Male Sheriff then stepped inside and sat down on the couch. Maui excused him for a moment and grabbed himself a chair from the kitchen table. The Female Sheriff then told him after he’d returned, “Mr Tuputala, I’m sure you’ve heard of the break-in at Wilhemina Rise last week?”

Maui nodded slowly in confusion before he asked, “What does have to with—”

“Sir,” The Female Sheriff began, “The house that was broken into belonged to Ms Moana Waialiki.”

He immediately doubled back in shock, “ _Hers?_ ” He exclaimed, “Oh _okay—_ I know where you’re getting at. _No,_ I had nothing to do—”

“And we believe that you didn’t.” The Female Sheriff assured him, “But, we need to clear you off the suspect list, and right now we’ve gotten you written down as the ex-boyfriend with a motive.”

Maui wiped his hand over his face and groaned before he looked up at them and asked, “And _how_ did you find that out?”

The Male Sheriff then told him, “We had to do some digging, but eventually we found an old apartment that leased in both your names.”

“ _Great…_ ” Maui muttered in frustration before he started massaging the bridge of his nose, before he took a deep breath and looked them in the eyes, “So you need me to come with you?”

“Exactly.” The Female Sheriff replied.

“Can I head over there in _one hour_?” Maui asked before he explained, “I gotta make a call so _somebody_ can watch—”

“I can watch my _moko_ for you son.” His mother finally spoke out as stepped from the hallway.

Maui let out a reluctant sigh before he turned to Tala for a moment and asked her, “You gonna be okay staying here with Gramma while I _take care_ of some things?"

“Yeah!” Tala replied with a wide smile on her face. Hearing her enthusiasm put a smile on his face and a little relief in his heart. But… going to the police department? _That_ wouldn’t look good on his record. _Not at all._

“Are you able to come with us right now, sir?” The Female Officer asked him. Maui turned to the two sheriffs and gave her a reluctant nod before he stood up.

The two sheriffs stood up after him and walked out of the house. Maui quickly turned to his mother and daughter and walked over toward them. First, he said to his mother, “Okay, the emergency’s number on the fridge, same with her dinner and all you need to do is—”

His mother quickly put her hands on his shoulders, “It’ll be ‘right _t_ _ikitiki_. You can’t keep the feds waiting.”

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  
   
Moana waited for Kahua outside the interview room, now donning a sleeveless white ankle length floral-patterned sundress while holding a plastic cup filled with water in her hand. _She needed a drink_ especially after all this. And now Maui was being brought in as a potential _suspect._  

 _What would she do?_ Put this in her report as his social worker? Could she really do that to him when of this was his fault? _No_ , she wouldn’t do that him. _Ever._

The door to the interview room finally opened and Kahua stepped outside for a moment before he turned and shook hands with his interviewer. Moana quickly drank her water and disposed of the cup, and headed over toward the two men.

“Well?” She asked them.

The interviewer turned to her and said, “His alibi checks out, so he’s been cleared off as a suspect.”

Moana let out a sigh of relief before she turned to Kahua and said, “I’m so sorry about this—”

“Don’t worry about it, ocean.” Kahua replied with a smile, “It’s done and over with, what’s important is that we find the guy and send his big old butt to jail.”

Moana smiled lightly as she looked up at him, part of her felt relieved to know that Kahua had been cleared off as a suspect—and now all she had to worry about was _Maui._

She knew he had nothing to do with this… nonetheless, the social worker side to her felt the need to add this to his report, but her moral compass was pointing at her _not to do it._ Not to him, _not to the girls._

Before she and Kahua could even leave Maui and the other two Sheriffs entered the department. Moana stopped in her tracks once she saw Maui heading their way.

Kahua turned to his nephew-in-law and gave him an encouraging nod while Moana stood there with an apologetic look on her face. Maui turned to his former uncle-in-law and gave him a reassuring smile before he followed the two sheriff’s toward the interview room.

 

Moana let out a deep sigh before she crossed her arms over her chest and turned to them. “Maui, wait.” She called out to him.

Maui stopped in his tracks and turned around with one eyebrow raised. Moana took another deep breath as she told him, “I’ll explain everything when you’ve been cleared off. And I _know_ you’ll be cleared off.” She felt Kahua’s hand on her shoulder and looked up to see his smiling face. She then watched as he turned to Maui and gave him an encouraging nod.

Kahua told him, “You’ll do just fine.”

  
Maui paused for a moment and turned to Moana, “ _You_ owe me an explanation.”

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

They let Maui out within an hour and within that time they all were escorted home.

Needless to say, the ride home was quite… _tense_ to say the least. Well, in Moana’s case, and here she was sitting in between Kahua and Maui. _Trapped in the middle_ of all this.

She turned to Maui as he continued on looking ahead at the road with concern written all over his face. She could imagine what was going through his mind. _‘Was Tala okay? Would this be used against him?’_ She then caught him trying to sneak a glance at her and she immediately knew what was going through his mind. _‘Would she add this to her report?’_

She was responsible for this… _she was._ But, she wasn't going to put this in Maui's record—well, that's the least she could do for him, besides telling him of her situation.

 _She had to do it_. Moana took a deep breath and turned to Maui once more, “Maui,” She called out to him before she said after a long sigh, “You deserve to know the truth.” She clasped her hands together and kept a tight grip, till her knuckles turned white from the tension.  

“I know who broke into my house.” She admitted and she quickly added before Maui had the chance to argue with her, “I _don’t_ know where he is.”

“I’m sorry, _he?_ ” Maui asked with a sharp tone in his voice.

“Yes, _he._ ” Moana replied with an equally sharp tone in her voice, “My ex-husband Maui.”

He immediately raised his hands up and said, “ ** _Whoa, whoa,_** don’t get me involved with _your_ personal life alright? _I don’t need—_ ”

“And you think _I_ need this?” Moana pointed out as her voice slowly started to rise.

Kahua put his fingers to his mouth and whistled for them to be quiet, “Everybody _calm down._ What’s important here Maui is that _neither_ of us are suspects now.” He then turned to Moana and gave her a knowing smile, “And I know Moana isn’t going to write this on your file.”

Maui raised an eyebrow in response and turned to Moana with a skeptical look on his face. “ _I’m not._ ” Moana replied, “But, I think it would be best if I hand your case to somebody else.”

“Wait, _you’re_ gonna quit?” Maui asked her.

“ _No._ ” Moana replied, “I’ll still be working… just not with _you_ or your children. It’s safer that way.”

 _Safer?_ Now he was getting _really scared._

“The truth is, I’ve been in hiding.” Moana explained, “I’ve been hiding from him for _six years._ ” She turned and saw the look on his face, and her guilt only grew. “Yes, I’ve been here the whole time. I _lied_ to you and Lani. I met a man who I thought loved me. Instead, he made me drop out of college, we got married within a month.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she continued, “I divorced him after a year of marriage. Then came the threats, and stalking—I had come back here just to get away from him.”

Maui lifted his hand up to stop her from talking, “Lemme get this straight, you were here the whole time since Hina was _two-years-old?_ And you couldn’t even let _Lani_ know you were here?”

Moana reluctantly nodded and the tension in the air grew thick once more. Kahua took a deep breath and let out a long exhale as he turned away from the two just for a moment. Finally, he turned to the sheriffs sitting in the front and said, “If you don’t mind? I’m gonna open a window.”

 

“You can’t open the windows back here, Uncle Kahua. They’re not designed that way” Maui informed him.

“ _Oh…_ nevermind then.” Kahua replied before he sunk back in his seat and, stared out the window for a moment before he watched Maui and Moana in the corner of his right eye. He could feel the tension growing, and he quickly adjusted the buttoned-up color to his blue aloha shirt.

Maui gripped his knees tightly with his hands as he struggled to keep his composure. But he couldn’t believe it. She was here _the whole time—_ and not only that, but she was _divorced_ and her ex-husband was even _kookier_ than a hundred Hiapos combined. But that didn’t matter, what mattered to him was that she lied to him—she lied to _Lani_. _She lied to his wife._

Kahua cleared his throat once more, and Maui quickly turned to him with an annoyed look on his face, to Kahua returned with an equally and uncharacteristic stern look of his own. Maui finally backed down and leaned back in his seat. 

“So, why didn’t you let her know you were here?” Maui asked her. Moana picked up the edginess in his voice.

“And what? Put you _all_ in danger?” Moana retorted, “I didn’t want to risk that—”

Maui gave her a sarcastic smile as he shot back, “Oh? _Oh?_ You don’t want to risk it? Well, you’re _risking_ it right now, aren’t ya?”

“Stop treating me like I’m the enemy here! I _never_ asked for this!” Moana shouted, “I _don’t_ appreciate the tone you’re using—”

Maui finally exploded and screamed in her face. “And I don’t appreciate the fact that _you lied_ to my wife for the past _six years— **ow!**_ ” Kahua had stretched out his arm from behind Moana and pinched Maui’s cheek. Maui slowly turned his head to glower at his former uncle-in-law and his _innocent_ whistling.

Kahua simply turned his gaze toward Maui and gave him an innocent smile, and nodded his head, signalling that he could continue _calmly._

Maui took a deep breath and turned to Moana once more, “You lied to Lani for the past six—”

Moana cut him off and told him firmly, “I didn’t want to put your lives at risk.” She paused for a moment and then glanced at the friendship bracelet on her wrist and closed her eyes for a second. “I don't want to put your lives at risk, but things are _different_ now. And I can’t continue working on your case.”  
 

She finally turned to Maui and said, “I’m sorry Maui, but starting tomorrow, you’re on your own.”

“ _Are you kidding me?_ ” Maui exclaimed, “ _No,_ you can’t do this to me!”

Moana then told him firmly, " _I don’t have any other choice, Maui_.”

He shouted at her, “Of course you have a choice!” He then accused her, “You’re just choosing to take the _easy way_ out!”

Kahua immediately opened his mouth to speak, but Maui cut him off and said, “ _Would you just stay out of it?_ ”

Kahua winced at the sound of his nephew-in-law’s voice and immediately shut his mouth as he looked out the window.

Moana immediately scolded him, “Don’t talk to him that way! He’s just trying to help!”

He towered down in front of her and said straight to her face, “At least he’s trying, unlike _somebody_ I know.”

She immediately backed away and looked up at him with an offended look on her face, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Maui then told her, “Maybe if you weren’t such a _lousy wife_ then you wouldn’t in this mess!”

Moana then shot back, “Maybe if you weren’t such a _lousy father_ Child Protective Services wouldn’t have to get involved!”

Maui then stated sarcastically, “Oh right! _Your_ motto is,” He paused, letting her take it all in as he air quoted, _“‘In the best interest of the children.’_ And obviously ripping kids away from loving families is in their _best_ interest!”

Moana then shot back and _reminded_ him, “Loving your children _isn’t_ _enough—_ ”

He shouted back, “ _You don’t even have kids so how would you know?_ ”

  
That’s when she felt her heart painfully skip a beat… that stung more than she imagined. Her ex-husband’s words rang in her mind, _“You can’t even have kids, so what do you matter?”_

That was her hidden shame… she couldn’t have children. What was that word from The Handmaid’s Tale? _Unwoman_ … that’s how he made her felt— _still_ feel. All because she was sterile.

But this wasn’t about her ex-husband, this wasn’t even about her. This was about _him._ Moana turned to him with furrowed eyebrows and spoke to put him in _his place,_ “I might not have children of my own—but I’m trained to look after them, I’ve studied law and you’re denying Tala’s _basic_ human right to an education…” Kahua immediately saw where this was going and was too slow to stop her.

Moana continued, “Mr Tuputala, I _highly suggest_ you sign up for parenting classes and _anger management_ or your chances of losing custody _are guarant—_ ”

Maui leaned forward to her, till their noses nearly touched and spoke to in a low menacing whisper, “Are you _threatening_ me right now?”

She informed him, “I’m _warning_ you—”

He shouted as he got in her face, “They’re all _I have!_ ”

“ _No._ ” She began, “You’re all _they_ have. Stop thinking about _yourself_ for once in your life—” 

He backed up and held his hands up, “ _Oh_ , now you’re accusing me of being selfish?”

She jabbed him on the chest so he would listen to her, “I’m not accusing of anything—”

Maui then grabbed her by the wrist and moved her hand away from his chest. He warned her with gritted teeth, “ _Don’t touch me._ ”

The Female Sheriff had enough and turned to look behind her, and told them, "I'm going to have to ask you both to _calm_ _down_ or I will take you two back to the station.”

Maui released his grip on her wrist and turned away from Moana so he wouldn’t even have to look at her. Moana let out a long sigh before she turned her head toward the car’s floor.

   


**  
<III><III><III><III>**

 

  

  
Waiola sat down on the couch reading a magazine when she heard the front door open. She quickly closed the magazine as her husband and Moana entered.

“We’re all clear!” Kahua announced happily as he quickly walked over to his wife and sat down before he put his arm around her shoulders. Moana smiled as she shook her head and disappeared off into her room.

Seeing that they were now alone, Kahua leaned over and gave Waiola a kiss to the side of her head. Waiola gave him a light smack on the shoulder, while at the same time she couldn’t help then smile lightly by his _silly_ actions.

A smile soon made its way to the corners of his lips. “ _You love it._ ” He remarked.

“Oh, stop,” Waiola told him firmly before she got up. “It’s _bedtime_.” Kahua got up after her and followed his wife down the hall and to their bedroom.

 

 

**  
<III><III><III><III>**

 

   
 

Waiola laid down in bed, dressed in her sleeveless light blue nightdress and reading a book with a serious look on her face as her reading glasses sat perked over her eyes.

The bed creaked as Kahua finally got in his side of the bed, dressed in his light blue long sleeved buttoned up pajamas. He pulled the covers over himself as he reached over for his reading glasses and picked up his favorite _book_.

Waiola noticed the glossy cover her husband was holding up and to her disbelief she read the words _SPIDERMAN_ and saw the image of the web-swinging superhero himself, swinging off a building. She sighed and shook her head.

Kahua playfully stuck his tongue at her.

“You're such a child,” Waiola muttered as she continued reading her book.

He stuck his tongue at her again and was rewarded with a pillow smacked on his head. Kahua simply pulled the pillow off his head and gently placed it in-between him and his before he resumed reading his comic book.

Waiola read a couple more chapters of her book and closed the story up. She took off her reading glasses and set the novel and her glasses down on her bedside table before she reached over for her lamp and turned it off.

  
Kahua kept on reading his comic book and turned to Waiola for a moment as she laid down with her arms folded over her middle. “This is getting out of hand.” She muttered to herself.

“What is?” Kahua asked.

“This whole ordeal between Moana _and_ her ex-husband," Waiola replied before she sat up in bed and turned to her husband completely flabbergasted. “ _What_ kind of man can’t take a hint?”

“Someone _lolo_.” Kahua replied as he put his glasses and comic book away.

"Well, that _lolo_ somebody apparently found out where she lived,” Waiola pointed out, “Which means it’ll only be a matter of time before he—”

Kahua put his hand on his wife’s shoulder and added, “Honey, _don’t_ _worry_. We’ll be fine. He’s not going to find us here, Tui and Sina are flying out tomorrow. Everything’s going to be _okay_.” He rubbed her shoulder and said, “ _Now,_ Maui and Moana on the other hand… are a cause for concern.”

Waiola gave her husband a flat stare, “ _What’d he do to her now?_ ” She asked in exasperation.

“Well… to be fair they both took it too far.” Kahua explained, “It turns out she’s been in hiding here for six years.” He saw the shocked look in her eyes and watched quickly as that surprise quickly turned to fire in her eyes. Kahua quickly put his hands on her shoulders as he reminded her, “ _Sweetheart_ before you blow a gasket, remember she _is scared_ and for good reason. And _we_ need to help him understand that.”

“And what did he do to her?” Waiola demanded.

Kahua let out a nervous chuckle, “He accused her of _lying_ to Lani and him…” He then added in a soft whisper, “He’s not wrong about that.”

She rolled her eyes and muttered, “Of course you’d take _his_ side—”

He reached over and took his wife’s hand in his and said, “Waiola, he’s not totally innocent in it either. They _both_ were at fault.”

She let out an annoyed growl as she stated, “He’s a man—”

He patted her hand and added, “ _And_ he’s a widow, a single father, _and_ he’s fighting to keep custody of the girls—”

Waiola then spoke out, repeating the words she’d heard him say many times before, “ _And with Alani’s money, he doesn’t stand a chance._ ”

 

Kahua nodded with a small sad smile on his face before he took a deep breath and commented, “To be fair… I think Moana’s being too hard on him—”

“She’s a social worker,” Waiola interrupted, “It’s her _job_ to be hard on parents, so they can their acts together.”

“But she’s not taking his feelings into play—he just lost Lani three months—”

Waiola turned to him and added gently, “We all lost Lani… and yes _maybe_ she’s being a little _hard_ on him.” She paused for a moment and added with a firm tone in his voice, “But he needs to wake up and be a father to those girls and _not_ a grieving widower.”

“I agree with you there,” Kahua added, “ _But_ she needs to give him a chance—”

“What else did he do to her?” Waiola asked him.

Kahua answered, “He grabbed her by the wrist—” And then added after seeing the disapproving look on her face, “ _After_ she threatened him and poked him hard on the chest.”

“And that justified him grabbing her by the wrist?” Waiola remarked with one eyebrow raised.

Kahua shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, _no._ I think the both of them were in the wrong.”

She shook her head and grunted in annoyance, “If that’s what _really_ happened, then you’re right and they’re both at fault.” She turned to him and said, “I’ll go have a talk with him—”

Kahua then patted her hand once more and said, “I’ve talked to the both of them and I’ve got it all settled.”

“How?” She asked him.

“I told him to _never_ lay his hand on a woman ever again, and I told her if she really wanted to apologize, then take him out to a nice _simple_ friendly lunch.”

Waiola closed her eyes and let out a low frustrated sigh, and finally turned to her husband and told him firmly. “ _Good_. I’m tired of cleaning up after his messes _._ ” Before she promptly laid down on her side.

Despite the firm tone he also detected a hint of motherly pitch in her voice and smiled. He leaned over and gave her a prickly kiss to the right side of her head. “Goodnight _ipo._ ” He whispered before leaned back and laid down on his side of the bed, and turned off the light.

 

 

**  
<III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  
  
**_CLICK._**

With one push of a button, Maui’s mother switched off the T.V and turned to Tala, “Alright now, go’on and brush yer teeth and get ready for bed.” Maui’s mother told her youngest granddaughter.

Tala slid off the couch and hurried off to the bathroom just as the front door opened. Maui stepped inside, and his mother stood up from the couch. “How did it go?” She asked.

“ _Fine_ ," Maui replied rather forcefully as he marched down the hall and headed toward his room.

**_  
SLAM!_ **

  
His mother put her hands on her hip and sighed. She then turned toward the hall and headed down toward her son’s closed room, and knocked on his door. “May I come in?” She called out to him.

Five minutes of silence passed before she heard his voice echoing from the other side.

“Sure.” He replied.

His mother then opened the door and found him laying in bed, clasping a small petite wedding band between his fingers.

"What happened, son?" She asked as she stood by his doorframe.

Maui slowly turned and gave his mother a deadpan stare, “ _Nothing._ ” He replied before he turned back to stare at the ring in his fingers.

“Doesn’t look like _nothing_ to me.” His mother pointed out.

He sighed and told her firmly, “Mom, _I don’t want to talk about it._ ”

“Well, if it’s getting you worked up, I’d say it’s _worth_ talking about.” She added as she walked three steps into his bedroom and stopped. She crossed her arms over her chest.

Maui remained silent as he finally pulled his fingers away from the ring, and let the chains of his necklace fall, dragging the ring with it as he laid in bed.

“I know you’re going through a hard time Maui.” His mother told him, “But that doesn’t make it right for you to feel sorry for yerself.”

  
"She lied," Maui replied.

“Who son?” She asked as she continued staring at him.

“ _Moana_.” He answered, “She’s been in Hawaii for past _six_ years—" He threw his hands up in exasperation, "And this whole time Lani and I thought she back at the Mainland!”

His mother gave him a confused look as she pointed out, “Son, I’m sure she had her reasons—”

“For what?” Maui began as he sat up, “For lying to _her best friend—_ _my wife!?_ ” He closed his took a deep breath and ran his hand over his tied up thick curly hair. Finally, he slowly shook his head, “Lani really missed her the whole time she was gone. And you know what hurts the most? She got married and didn’t even bother telling her…” He air quoted, “ _…best friend_ that she’d gotten married!”

There was that hurt in his angered voice. She didn’t need to be his mother to see it. Everyone could. And she knew that he would be hurting for a while, but she also knew that everyone needed to push past that hurt. But, there was another thing that seemed off—in fact, she could see red flags in parts of his story. “Is that right?” She asked.

"Yep," Maui replied as he continued on staring at the ceiling with an annoyed look on his face.

“Well have you ever thought that maybe something happened?”

“Oh, _I know_ something happened.” Maui replied, “She married a psycho. That’s what—but Mom, I know her. She wouldn’t be that stupid—”

“Stop there.” His mother told, “What do you mean by _stupid?_ ”

He let out an annoyed groan as he stated, “Stupid as in, how could she not see the signs—”

“Maybe because there wasn’t any _signs_ to begin with.” His mother pointed out, “Maybe he was charming to her—maybe he _wooed her_ enough to trap her in.”

Maui finally sat up again and turned to his mother and asked, “Okay, _why_ are you defending her—”

“I’ve been in her shoes.” She replied and paused as her own feeling started digging themselves up from the deeper parts of her heart. She remembered the feeling of helplessness, the imprisonment and the low self-esteem all too well. “And you know what, leaving isn’t easy.”

She then turned her head to face her son. “It takes lotta guts to leave. And I think she’s really brave.”

Maui immediately rolled his eyes and shook his head before he asked, “If she’s so brave then why wasn’t she _brave_ enough to—”

“Have you met her husband, son?” His mother asked.

“What does that have to—”

“Is that _back talk_ I hear?”

Maui quickly shut his mouth and replied, “Sorry Mom.” Before he answered, “ _No_.”

“Then how would you know what he’s like?” She asked him, “You don’t know what she’s been through. You don’t know what’s going through her head.”

Maui let out a frustrated groan before he plopped back onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. “If she was so _scared_ of him, why didn’t she just leave in the first place?”

His mother shook her head and took a deep breath. She turned to her youngest son and told him, “Because she loved him too.” She replied, “That’s why she didn’t leave earlier.” Maui remained silent as he continued to stare at the ceiling, and his mother added sharply before she left. “ _You have a think ‘bout that_.”

He heard the sounds of his mother’s footsteps growing softer and softer as she moved further away from his bedroom. Then he heard Tala’s voice out in the living room saying, “Bye Gramma!”

His mother then replied to his youngest daughter, “I’ll see ya later Tala.” 

The door slowly closed and just like that, she was gone.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

The piercing chirps and tweets of the _‘apapane_ echoed around the Tuputala resident, as the rays of the rising sun pierced through the windows of Maui’s bedroom, as the snoring thirty-year-old single father laid down on his stomach, still wearing the same clothes from the day before.

  
He laid with his right cheek pressed against his pillow, and his mouth opened as more snores and his drool flowed down his chin. A second later he grunted when a little foot pressed against his other cheek, and his little girl tooted from her rear end.

Maui felt a weight settled on the top of his head. He slowly lifted his head up to see his daughter’s legs and the fabric of her light pink pajamas hanging over the middle of his face. “Tala,” He called out to her, “ _Tala_ , c’mon pumpkin time to wake up.”

“Five more minutes Mama…” She mumbled as Maui picked her up and carefully laid her down beside him.

Not a second later, Tala yawned, stretched her arms and legs, and sat up with her hands rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She yawned again and clicked her tongue before she turned to her father and noticed his clothes, “Daddy, you didn’t change since last night.”

“ _So?_ ” He replied with a cheeky smile on his face before he reached over and grabbed her by her sides. Tala screamed from shock and tried to pull herself away from her father’s grip. But to no avail, Maui lifted her shirt and three times, blew raspberries into her belly, taking it all in as his fatherly heart submerged itself with the sounds of her loud contagious warm giggles. He then held her up by the sides and asked. “What time is it?”

  
“It’s eight Daddy!” Tala replied.

“ _Eight?_ ” Maui said with one eyebrow raised, “Okay, _sooo,_ what do _you_ want for breakfast?”

Tala tilted her head slightly as she pondered before she perked up and said as she threw her hands up in the air, “Pancakes!”

Maui raised an eyebrow and replied with a knowing look, “How about _oatmeal_ instead?”

Her shoulders slumped, “ ** _Awww_** …” When out of nowhere her father tossed her up in the air and caught her in his hands.

“Pancakes it is!” He announced as he brought her close, pressing their foreheads and noses together.

 

  
  
** <III><III><III><III>**

 

 

   
Three eggs, two cups of flour, two cups of lukewarm milk, a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon baking soda, two teaspoons of sugar, two tablespoons of melted butter and finally one cup of chocolate chips.

“Here Daddy!” Tala spoke out, now wearing a red dress with white polka dots and a pink child frilly sized apron over it, as she handed him the metal whisk.

“ _Thank you_ ," Maui replied as he reached over and grabbed the handle. He gently pushed the whisk down with the bowl filled with the dry ingredients and slowly started mixing the dry ingredients together, completely unaware that Tala stood on the stool, watching attentively until her little head and fingers peeked from the edge of the mixing bowl, as she looked up at him with a dimpled grin on her face.

Maui rolled his eyes and stopped mixing. A look of confusion etched itself on Tala’s face as her father held the handle out to her and asked, “You wanna mix it after I pour the milk?”

“Yes!” Tala replied as bounced on her stool. She then looked up at the counter and climbed up. Maui then turned around that very second and put the measuring jug of milk down. He immediately pulled her off the counter, and set her down on the floor, before he knelt down to her level.

 

“Are counters meant for sitting or for making food?" Maui asked her with a stern tone in his voice. Tala put her arms behind her back as she looked down at the ground. "Tala, _look at me when I’m talking to you._ ”

She quickly looked up at him and finally answered, “For making food.”

“So what I have told you?” Maui asked to see if she could remember.

Tala replied, “Don’t sit on where you make or eat your food.”

Maui nodded in approval. “ _Right._ ” Before he handed her the whisk. Tala quickly grabbed it and hopped on the stool. She turned and looked up at her father as he slowly poured the lukewarm milk into the mix.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

  

_**Tap. Tap. Tap.** _

Hinatea stared out the window, tapping the glass out of boredom, as she sat on the passenger seat counting the number of red cars and trees they’d passed as Moana drove. She had no idea why she was even here? Or why Aunty Waiola allowed her to come with Moana when she was supposed to be _grounded_ for another six days.

She watched as they passed the shops, the café, and… _the hotel where her dad worked._ Hina pulled her fingers away from the window and straightened up as she slowly turned to face Moana. And took notice that she wasn't wearing her working clothes, instead, she wore a dark magenta Hawaiian halter dress with white hibiscus prints that went just above her ankles, red flipflops on her feet, and her hair that was usually tied up into a complete bun, was fashioned into a simple half top knot.

“Where are we going?” She inquired with a confused tone in her voice.

Moana replied without taking her eyes off the road, “I’m gonna take you, your father and your sister out to lunch.”

Hina tilted her head and crinkled her nose to one side, as she looked up at her in confusion, “ ** _Ummm_** … _why?_ ”

“Well…” Moana paused for a moment as she figured out the right words to explain the situation. “ _Well,_ something’s complicated has happened and I won’t be able to work with your father anymore.”

Hina turned her head toward her with wide perplexed eyes, “ _Why not?_ ”

"It's grown-up stuff, Hina." Moana explained simply before she added, “And it’s nothing _you_ need to worry about okay?”

“Oh…” Hina went, “ _Okay._ ” Before she turned and looked out the window. Moana slowly turned her gaze to the young eight-year-old for a moment and then turned her attention back to the road. She then looked at the digital clock blinking 11:00 A.M.

  
Moana turned to face her once more and took a deep breath. She then turned toward the entertainment system and then she turned to Hinatea for a second before she asked, “Do you like John Parr?”

Hinatea tilted her head for a moment and asked, “Who’s John Parr?”

“He’s a singer from the eighties.” Moana replied with a smile, “One of his famous hits was St. Elmo’s Fire.”

Hinatea replied with uncertainty, “So… he’s like Elvis or Justin Bieber?”

Moana sniffled a laugh and turned to her for a moment, “He came a little bit _after_ Elvis but a few years _before_ Justin Bieber was even born.”

Hina eyes widen, “ _Ohhhh…_ ”

Moana smiled as she turned her head back toward the road and pressed her brakes when she hit a red light. “Your mom and I loved listening to oldies music too.”

Hinatea perked up, “Like Elvis!?”

Moana turned to her moment and nodded with a bright smile on her face, and then she asked, “So, what do you say?”

Hinatea shrugged her shoulders and replied, “Sure.”

Moana then pressed her finger to the touchscreen and selected MP3 player, and a second later _St. Elmo’s Fire_ came on. The traffic light changed to yellow, and Moana switched gears and placed her foot on the accelerator. Finally, the light turned to green and she pressed the gas.

Hina’s eyes immediately widen in recognization, “I know this song! I know this song!” She then turned when she heard Moana’s hands gently smacking against the steering wheel as she followed the beat of the music, and soon she started singing along.

Hinatea then started tapping her hand against the dashboard as she started following Moana’s lead.

Moana chuckled as the two of them started having fun just singing along, just as she and Lani used to do as teenagers. And then she heard Hina’s infectious laugh. _Lani’s_ _infectious laugh._ A small reministic smile formed on the corners of her lips. “You sound just like your mother.”

Hina slowly turned to face her with a confused look on her face, “Really?” She asked.

Moana nodded as she turned her left indicator one and made that turn toward the small dirt path toward Maui’s house. “Yep. Uncle Kahua, Lani and I would spend summer days like this… _well,_ when your mother could.”

  
Hinatea frowned at the tone of her voice. “ ** _Ummm_** … whaddya mean when my mom _could?_ ”

Moana’s grip on the steering tightened for a moment, and she closed her eyes. _There was no hiding it now._ “Did your mother ever mention your grandparents?”

“Not really…” Hinatea hesitated for a moment before she added, “Mom didn’t like talking about them a lot.”

Moana nodded in understanding before she let out a sigh and explained, “Well, their relationship was very…  _confusing_. Sometimes they were nice to her, but other times, they could be really _mean._ ”

  
Hinatea’s lips and nose crinkled to one side, as she tilted her head with one eyebrow raised. “Define _mean?_ ”

Moana paused as her eyes shifted just for a minute. Should she continue on with her bias opinions or should she change the subject or should she not care? Her gaze shifted to the little girl sitting to her left and saw the expectant look in her round eyes.

Moana then turned off the music to cut off any distractions before she finally relented and carried on, “They did hurt her a lot, and I _feel_ that they never liked your mother very much.”

Hina raised an eyebrow and asked, “What’d she do that made them not like her?”

Moana took a deep breath and she turned to Hinatea and first told her firmly, “You can’t tell anybody else that I told you this other than your father, Aunty Waiola, Uncle Kahua and your cousins. _Understand?_ ” She saw Hina nod her head.

“Your mother didn’t do anything wrong.” Moana told her firmly, “Your grandparents… they just didn’t like _her_.”

Hinatea paused and turned away for a minute. She couldn't comprehend what Moana had just told her. Her grandparents didn’t like her mother for being _her?_ How did that work?

“I don’t get it.” Hinatea replied, “If Mom _didn’t_ do anything wrong… then why wouldn’t her parents like her?”

Moana pulled over as they reached the driveway, and sighed as she finally turned to the little girl beside her. “You’ll understand when you’re older.” She unlocked the doors and turned off the engine. Moana turned to look at high single upper deckhouse before them.

 

Hinatea looked up at her home for a moment with awkwardness before she turned to Moana and asked her the same question she uttered before they left, “You sure Aunty Waiola’s not gonna get mad about this?”

“No,” Moana replied with a chuckle, “Don’t worry, Aunty Waiola agreed that you should spend some time with your dad.” At last, Moana then stepped out of the car, and Hinatea followed suit.

She walked over toward the trunk of her car and then pulled out a red child-sized duffle bag out. 

Moana saw the confusion on the girl’s face, and she added with a smile on her face. “And Uncle Kahula reminded her she’s not your mother or legal guardian, so technically she _can’t_ ground you.”

And much to her amusement Hinatea then chanted in a low whisper as she fist-pump, “ ** _HAAAH_** _… He’s so amazing!_ ”

Moana slung Hina's duffle bag over her shoulder and then walked over to her and said with a slight chuckle as she took her hand, “Come on Hina.”

The two the two climbed up the two levels of stairs all the way to the deck and stopped. Moana pulled away from Hina and walked over to the front door.

 

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

****

**_BEEP! BEEP!_ **

“The dishes’ ready!” Tala announced as she hopped off her stool and rushed to the dishwasher, and swooped pass her father, forcing him to whirl to one side as he was sweeping the floor.  
  
He turned and watched as Tala opened the dishwasher and pulled the rack out. “Tala!” Maui called out to her.

She stopped before she could even pull a dish out and turned to her father with a perplexed look on her face. "Yeah, Papa?"

He told her, “Let _me_ handle the dishes.” And frowned to see the confused look on her face. He then chuckled and asked, “Okay. _What’s with the face?_ ”

She answered. “Aunty Waiola says I’m old enough to do the dishes.”

“Yeah _,_ maybe when you’re _twelve._ But right now I don’t feel comfortable with you holding sharp knives—”

“I know how to hold knives! Mommy showed me how to!” Tala proudly declared before she quietly added, “But she said I can’t hold them alone yet.”

Maui paused for a moment as he gazed at his five-year-old baby—his  _little independent girl._ How could he forget what Lani taught them? How she showed their daughters how to contribute to their family, and that way they knew what was expected of them by their age level.

“Remember what Mama used to say?” Tala asked him, “ _Ohana_ is number one, and we're all  _family_  and if we help our  _family_ our  _ohana_  will help us.” A small smile slowly made its way to the corners of her lips, before she announced. “Okay! I’m gonna get the dishes now!”

Maui chuckled as Tala rushed toward the kitchen and as he slowly stood up, and called out. “Remember, don’t hold the knives by yourself yet!”

“ _Okay, Daddy!_ ” She replied.

 

_**Knock.** **Knock**. _

 

He quickly walked over to door and slowly opened it, and there Moana stood with Hina's duffle bag strapped around her shoulder. Maui rolled his eyes and opened the door wider, and stood in the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest. “ _Whaddya want?_ ” He asked.

Hina unexpectedly jumped beside her, shouting, “Hi Dad!”

“Shark-bait!” Maui quickly got down as Hina came rushing over to his opened arms. He enveloped her in a hug and threw her up in the air, and caught her. “What are you doing here? I thought you were still grounded?”

Hina grinned as she proudly stated, “Aunty Waiola ungrounded me.”

Maui raised an eyebrow, “ _Oh really?_ ”

Moana then made her presence known once again and said with a polite smile on her face, “Uncle Kahua helped.”

Maui looked up at her for a second and quickly put Hinatea down before he got down to her level. "Go on take your bag to your room, I'll be inside in a minute." Moana handed Hina her duffle bag and watched as she disappeared inside the house.

He crossed his arms over his chest as he stood in front of the doorway with his eyebrows furrowed together. “What do _you_ want?” He demanded, his voice as sharp as a knife.

Moana closed her eyes and sighed for a moment, before she looked up at him and replied, “I came to apologize.” She paused, “I shouldn’t have said those things to”

“Stop," Maui told her.

She looked up at him in confusion. “But—”

“ _Stop._ ” He told her again, this time with his hand up. He slowly put his hand down and crossed his arms once more. “The Moana I know would _never_ apologize for her beliefs.” He rolled his eyes in exasperation before he closed his eyes and shook his head.

Finally, he looked at her once more and said, “Look, we both got off the wrong foot…” He took a deep breath as he stated desperately, “Moana—you’re the only chance I have to keep custody of my girls.”

“Maui, _I can't_ ," Moana told him once again.

Frustrated, he asked her raising his voice, “And why the hell not?”

“I already told you why!” She replied in exasperation, “ _It’s not safe_ anymore—”

“Stop running from your problems and face them—”

Moana quickly lifted one end of her dress high eye to partially expose her thigh. Maui nearly looked away but managed to stop himself when saw the pale scars etched across her skin. _Knife cuts._

He swallowed the lump in his throat, and seeing his reaction, Moana let go of her skirt and allowed it to flow down near her ankles. And for a moment he felt like kicking himself as the words echoed his head. _‘Mom was right.’_

Then another realization struck and he quickly asked, “Shouldn’t you be at _work?_ ”

Moana gave him a soft, _forced_ smile as she explained. “Well, I called my supervisor and asked for emergency leave. And now… here am I.”

“ ** _Uh-huh_** …” Maui replied as he finally eased up, “So…  _why_ are you _here_ again?”

Moana looked up at him and said, “I came to apologize—” She then held her hand up to stop _him_ from cutting her off and continued, “And I think it's only fair that I take you and your daughters out for lunch.” He raised an eyebrow. She gave him a genuine friendly smile, “What do you say?”

“ _YES!_ ” Hina and Tala shouted unexpectedly from beside their father. 

Maui and Moana both let out a startled cry, and through the shock both Moana and Maui lost their balance. Hinatea quickly grabbed Tala and pulled her out of the way as their father fell backwards into the doorway, and Moana immediately fell forward after him.

Maui smacked his head against the hardwood floor, the same time Moana fell smacking on top of him.

Hinatea and Tala both tilted their heads for a moment and turned to one another in confusion.

Maui lifted his head the same time Moana pushed herself off his chest. Their eyes met and they stared on for a few minutes. And for a moment a strange sense of familiarity echoed from inside. He could see the hesitation in her eyes… but beneath that hesitation, he saw _her._ The same determined woman he knew from long ago.

Moana’s eyes shifted in hesitation as she fought to hold back on whatever she shield she had, but there was that look in his eyes— _him_. The same sense of exuberance still laid inside him after all these time. And in that instant, it felt that they were reading each other's souls. 

Maui and Moana then let out an awkward chuckle before they asked in unison. “You okay?” Before they let out another awkward chuckle and looked away.

 

Hinatea quickly made a face, “ ** _Bleck_** _…”_ As she cringed in disgust, while Tala stood beside her sister with wide-eyes and newly cleaned spoons in her hands.

  
“I’ll just get off… now.” Moana mumbled before she pushed herself up, and swung her right leg to the left carefully, and slowly raised herself up the same time Maui got himself off the ground.

Maui let out a nervous chuckle before he cleared his throat and asked, “ _So,_ you were saying?”

Moana gave a polite smile, “Lunch?”

“ _Right._ ” Maui replied before he turned to his daughters with one eyebrow raised, “Whaddya say kids?”

Hinatea and Tala then shouted again in unison, “ _Yes!_ ”

Maui shrugged and answered, “I guess it’s a yes.” Moana looked up at him with a friendly smile. He then turned to his daughters, “Girls, grab my keys, ‘cause _I’m_ driving.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **List of terminologies:**  
>   
>  Tēnā koe: A formal way of saying 'Hello' or 'Thank you' in Maori, in this case, it's 'Thank you'.  
> Tāku kōmata: An affectionate term in Maori, that can be used for family members or your significant other/partner/husband.  
> Oā mai oe?: Samoan for, 'How are you?'  
> Ae ā oe?: Samoan for, 'And you?'  
> Ipo: Hawaiian for 'Darling' or 'Sweetheart' or 'Dear'.  
> ‘Apapane: A species of Hawaiian birds commonly found on the island of O'ahu.  
> Āe: Maori for 'Yes'.  
> Ka pai tōku tamahine: Maori for, 'Great work my daughter.'  
> He ‘Olina Leo Ka Ke Aloha: A Hawaiian saying that translates to, 'Joy is in the voice of love'.  
> Toa: A Maori word that commonly means 'Warrior'.


	9. Aohe pilipili aina mai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeeyyyy!  
> Sorry for the extremely long upload you guys! This was quite the chapter to write, but here it is!  
> Now, this is part of the story where things get a little mature as we progress, so be warned there will be a lot triggering moments as you carry on. (And yes there is triggering moments in this chapter as well, so I apologize in advance if any of the scenes you become triggered by any of the scenes here) :/  
> Either way, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

“Are you sure this is safe!?” Moana asked as she sat in the back of the motorcycle with her hands on Maui’s shoulders, and his daughters sitting between them, with white child-sized helmets on their heads.

“Oh yeah, totally safe!” Maui replied as he zigzagged through traffic, Moana immediately closed her eyes and laid her head against Maui’s back. She hunched forward towering over the girls in a protective fashion.

“But you’re not wearing a helmet!” She argued.

“Welcome to Hawaii!” He replied before he let out an excited cry after he increased the speed just _within_ the fifty-five mph speed limit, “ ** _CHEEHOO!_** ”

Moana gripped his shoulders tighter and kept her eyes tightly shut as he swerved to the left and reminded him, “It’s _currently_ against _the law_ for cyclists to ride without wear a helmet!” 

He shouted back, “Like I said, welcome to Hawaii, where wearing helmets is _my choice!_ ”

Tala leaned to the side, peeking her head out and called out to Moana as the uncovered parts of her wavy hair rattled against the speeding wind, “Where are we going, Aunty?” A puzzled look slowly plastered itself on her young face the very second she saw how scared Moana was, and then she turned to her father and asked him, “Why is Aunty making funny faces?”

Maui then turned to look at the side mirror and noticed the frightened look on Moana’s face. Finally, he slowed down just a bit. Moana felt the change in pace and slowly opened her eyes, and noticed Maui looking at her over his shoulder.

“What?” She asked gently.

“Somebody’s got trust issues.” He stated with a cheeky grin on his face.

Moana rolled her eyes for a minute and then panicked as shouted, “ _Maui keep your eyes on the road!_ ”

He quickly veered his bike to the right just in the nick of time. Moana and the girls screamed due to the sudden sharp turn. Moana quickly put left arm forward to catch the two girls, in case they fell.

 

Fortunately, Maui got his bike back on balance and continued on driving all the way to Pearl City Shopping Center. Tala’s eyes widened as she saw the sign to one of her favorite restaurants. Chuck E Cheese.

Tala squealed, “Chucky Cheese!”

Maui turned toward the parking lot, and slowed down before he stopped, and turned the motorcycle’s engine off. A shaken Moana slowly straightened up and sat there with a petrified look on her face.

He turned to her and said, “See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Moana slowly eased up and quickly started to slip off his bike. “ ** _Whoooa!_** ” Maui quickly lifted his left hand and caught her as she nearly tripped. “Easy there, Mrs Twinkle toes.”

Moana narrowed her eyes as she slowly stood up straight and he slowly pulled his hand back. She finally undid her half-knot, letting her long wavy-curly hair flow down as she fixed it up.

Tala commented, “You got pretty hair, Aunty!" Moana stopped, paused and turned to her in the middle of finger brushing her hair. Tala gave her a dimpled smile as she said, “You got _really_ pretty hair,” She then turned to her father and asked, "Doesn't Aunty have pretty hair, Daddy?"

Maui raised an eyebrow for a moment and shrugged, “It’s _okay._ ”

Moana rolled her eyes at his response and turned to Tala with a smile on her face as she styled her hair up to another half topknot and adjusted her carry-on purse. "Thank you, Tala."

 

“Can we go in _now?_ ” Hinatea grumbled as she took off her helmet. Tala eagerly took off her own helmet and got down the same time Maui climbed off his bike. Hina then grabbed Tala’s hand and the two immediately started to run toward the restaurant.

Maui quickly grabbed her arm and slowly pulled the two of them back. “ ** _Whoawhoawhoa!_ ** Slow down there shark-bait!” He let them go the minute they stood beside him. “We’re _all_ gonna head in together, _okay?_ ”

Hinatea groaned and Tala replied, “Okay!”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

The girls entered the restaurant with an excited shrill before they immediately ran for the games. Maui then called out to them, “Hey! Hey! Hey! _Girls!_ ” The two stopped and reluctantly walked back toward their father and Moana. Maui reminded them as he looked down and pressed his closed fists against his hips, “Orders first, _games later._ ”

“ _Sorry, Dad_ …” Hina sighed.

"Okay, Papa!" Tala excitedly replied before she ran off to find them a table. Hinatea followed her soon after. Maui eased up and walked behind her with Moana trailing behind after him.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

The four of them sat down on a booth, with Moana, Tala and Hina sitting on one side and Maui sitting on the other side. Hinatea reached for her soda as Tala eagerly ate her large cheese pizza. Maui quickly grabbed her cup and took a test taste first. He let the liquid sit on his tongue for about ten seconds before he swallowed. “You’re good.”

Moana raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him.

Maui raised an eyebrow as well, “What?” He asked shrugging before he casually explained. “I’m just making sure it isn’t strawberry flavored.”

“I see.” Moana replied, “Allergies?”

Hinatea then interjected, “I’m _right here_ you know.”

Maui gave her a knowing look, “ _Grown-ups talking here_.” Hina sighed and remained silent before she took a sip of her soda. Maui turned to Moana again and informed her, “She’s allergic to strawberries.”

She raised an eyebrow, “You mean the flavoring?”

He clarified nodding his head once, “Both flavoring _and_ the natural stuff.”

Moana raised an eyebrow and asked, “And where did she get that from?”

“Lani," Maui replied smiling. He then let out a single chuckle and spoke out with obvious endearment. “It turns _—_ _turned_ out that she was allergic to strawberries too… that’s _one_ more thing Hina got from her.” He felt the butterflies fluttering in his stomach and that sense of calm whenever he spoke about her, and then came that sense of guilt once more.

Suddenly he took a deep breath and began to push his feelings down, and then he spotted Hina trying to reach for another slice of pizza _—_ and then he beat her to it.

Hina’s eyes went wide for a second before she looked up and glared at him. “ _Hey! That’s mine!_ ” She exclaimed.

Maui took a big bite and declared, “Sorry _._ _You snooze you lose_ ,” He turned and saw the daring look on his daughter’s face and he immediately knew what was about to do. “Don’t even think about it, young lady. Tables _aren’t_ for feet or slippers." 

Hina groaned, “ _Fine…_ ” Before she took another slice of pizza. Maui excused him for a minute. Moana turned and watched as he headed over to the salad bar and returned to set a large bowl of One Trip Salad on the table.

“What!? Are these _all_ _vegetables?_ ” Hina exclaimed, she then looked around for the guilty party, “Who ordered all vegetables?”

Maui grabbed the tongs and her plate replied as he used it to grip a handful and put it on her plate, “ _I did._ And you’re going to eat them _quietly_ and _like it_.” Hinatea groaned as she picked up her fork before she reluctantly started eating her salad first.

He sat back down and turned to Tala, and then gestured her to give him her plate. Tala grunted and reluctantly handed her plate to him. Moana picked up her own plate and reached over for the salad.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

With their pizza mostly gone and the salad bowl completely empty, the girls finally rushed off to buy tokens for the games, leaving Maui and Moana to sit across one another. Maui watched the servers walking by back and forth, and started tapping his fingers against the table.

Moana raised an eyebrow, “What are you waiting for?”

Maui stopped tapping his fingers and answered. “Dessert.”

She leaned back with wide-eyes, “ _Dessert?_ ”

He nodded and explained, “ _Yup._ It’s better to have dessert after lunch––you burn more calories that way.”

Moana nodded, obviously impressed by that knowledge. “So, you’re a part-time _dietitian_ now?”

He scoffed and said, “What? You think I was born with these muscles? _Nope._ I had to work hard for these babies like everybody else and I'm not about to stop now."

She raised an eyebrow, “And I take it you have a six-pack?"

He quickly dismissed her claims with a wave of his hand, “You kidding? Six packs _aren’t_ _functional _—__ unless you're a bodybuilder. And I have _nooo_ interest going down that road.”

 

Her eyebrow remained raised as she stated with a sarcastic undertone, “ _Oh really?_ ”

“Yes _really._ ” Maui replied, “I wanna look good _and_ healthy. And I already look good, so now all I have to do focus on being healthy.”

 

Moana then added, “You can be a bodybuilder and be healthy too.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head in dismissal before he started tapping his fingers on the table once more.

 

“The Maui I knew wouldn’t miss a chance for fame and glory.” She remarked.

He scoffed, “The Maui _you_ _knew_ wasn’t a father or husband.” He paused and then let out a sigh, “But this Maui has _other_ _priorities._ ” He then turned to the basketball machine game, where the sounds of his daughter’s laughter echoed, and watched as they both started shooting the balls through the hoops. A small dimpled smile slowly etched across his lips. “I remember when Lani used to play that with them.”

 

Moana smiled as she turned to watch the girls taking turns to shoot the hoops. She noted. “It’s good to see them getting along so well.”

He smiled and said, “That’s all Lani’s doing.”

Moana raised an eyebrow after she turned to him and then added, “Really? And _you_ had nothing to do with it?”

“ _Nope._ ” He replied, “When Lani was pregnant with Tala, I had to work double time.”

She nodded in understanding before she looked around at the chain with a fond smile on her face. “I remember when this place first opened here.”

Maui raised an eyebrow, “When did it open?”

“Sometime in the eighties.” She answered as her smile widened a bit. “Lani and I loved coming here every summer while we were growing up."

He smiled as his eyes scanned the establishment as he replied, “She told me.” His smile widened as he was happy to report, “And those were the happiest moments of her life.”

She chuckled once and added, “Any time away from her mother was the happiest moment of her life.”

Maui frowned for a moment before he slowly nodded in agreement, and there was that feeling of confusion once more; what kind of parent would _hate_ their child that so much?

 

“Listen Maui,” Moana began, “I wanted to apologize for last night, and I said some things I shouldn’t have _—_ ”

He held his hand up to stop her and added casually, “Let’s just say we _both_ said some things that shouldn’t have been said, and _you_ pay for lunch.”

Moana gave him a lopsided smile before she held his hand out to him for a handshake. “ _Deal_.”

 

 **  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

She hadn’t even made to the apartment door when the sounds of men singing echoed down from inside her home. Aroha quickly made her way to her front door with two brown paper bags settled in her arms. She turned and pushed the door open with her shoulder.

 

**_CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!_ **

 

Aroha looked down as the sound of a beer can roll across her now _sticky_ floor, and right there in her adjoined living room was her uncle playing the guitar, stringing and singing along the chords to Homegrown’s song _Herbs._ His rough, gravelly voice was surprising in tune to the reggae music, and his projection was powerful… _he was starting to get drunk._ Her eyes slowly gazed up at the three obvious urban Maori men sitting on her couch, one of them she recognized to be an old friend of her father and uncle’s, Uncle Huaki. She had fond memories of him from her childhood.

Her eyes slowly holding cans in their hands and at least a dozen empty ones sitting all over her once clean coffee table.

 

She took three steps toward the kitchen; the sound of her footsteps caught her uncle’s attention. He put the guitar down and grabbed a beer can as he turned to Aroha while she put the groceries on the counter.

Huaki then turned his head and said, “Aroha, is that you, girl? Shit last time I saw ya, you were a _wee girl._ But look at ya, yer a grown ass woman now. _Kei te pēhea koe?_ ”

Aroha smiled and replied, “I’m all good Uncle Huaki.”

“Wha’dya doing standing ‘round there, girl?” Nikau waved her over, “Come over here and meet my mates!”

 

Aroha walked hesitantly toward her living room and crossed her arms protectively over her chest, covering whatever exposed seemingly ‘indecent’ skin the top of her midnight blue sleeveless mid-length round neck _muumuu_ failed to cover.

He waved her over to come closer, “Oi fellas, _tūtaki tōku irāmutu, Aroha._ ”

Two of them nodded their heads up in acknowledgement and greeted her with a simple, “ _Kia ora._ ” Before turning to Nikau once more and said, “Chur bro.”

To which Nikau replied as he was about to take another swing of his beer, “ _Chur_ bruthas _._ ” He turned to Aroha after taking a sip and asked with a slight slur in his voice, “Hey, you got anything good to feed my mates, eh girl?”

Aroha cast one hesitant gaze to her uncle’s guests in _her home,_ and turned to face him, and answered. “Nothing but veggies, cheese and milk.”

Nikau rolled his eyes and then he turned back to his three friends, “Can ya believe that shit? How’s a man suppose to feed his mates just fucking veggies, eh?” He then turned to his twenty-one-year-old niece and ranted, “Ya need to get some meat in yer bones, girl. All this ‘save the animals’ shit is fucking yer head up.”

She remained silent and looked at her uncle's guests, and saw at least two nodding and agreeing with her uncle’s words. Huaki on the other hand simply drank his beer and stayed out it. Finally, she said, “I’ll go whip something up.”

 

Nikau finally spoke out as he waved her back over to where he sat. “Hey, _hold it, hold it, hold it._ ” Before he pulled at least two hundred dollars from his pocket. “Go on buy us some _mīti,_ girl. Get the good stuff.”

Aroha remained stone-faced as she grasped the money with her fingers. “Where’d you get all this money, Uncle?”

He answered with a slightly proud tone in his voice. “Got ‘em by winning the gigis on ESPN.” Aroha gave him a simple polite smile. Nikau bobbed his head lightly and then added, “Get something good for yerself too, girl. Ya hear?”

 

Her smile widened a little, “Yeah, I hear. Cheers, Uncle Nick.”

 

 **  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

“You _did not_ think that!” Maui exclaimed feigning his feelings of insult as Moana started bringing up past moments… specifically, _their first meeting._

"Oh yes, I did." Moana replied with a chuckle and grin, “Your ego was bigger than your head.”

He scoffed at her claims and took a long sip of his soda, and then looked away to watch the servers walking by carrying trays to other customers, all the while the wild screams and then he slowly glanced over to where Hina and Tala were playing in the jungle gym along with the other kids in the restaurants.

 _Where were their desserts?_  

Saving whatever little bit of dignity he had, Maui stood up and told Moana, “I’ll be right back.” And then proceeded to find the manager to complain about the extremely slow service.

She simply rolled her eyes and shook her head in amusement. He was just as impatient as he was ten years ago. She slowly turned her attention to the atmosphere of the bustling restaurant. Honestly, she felt a little bit bad for the staff having to go around tending the now overcrowded restaurant.

Suddenly she heard Tala shouting, “ _It’s_ _Chucky!_ ” And soon the children left the jungle gym and rushed to where the show going to begin.

 

Moana giggled as a sense of nostalgia slowly crept in as the children all gathered in front of Chucky as he began dancing, prompting them to follow his moves. **_DING!_** She heard her phone vibrating from her carry-on purse. Thinking it was a message from work, she opened her purse and reached in for her iPhone. She pressed the home button and saw that she received one message that chilled her to the bone. Not because of the notification or the words _No Caller I.D_ connected with the message itself. But, the context was what chilled her to the bone.

It read: _Found you._

 ** _DING!_** The next message read: _This isn’t over._

 ** _DING!_** It read: _You can change your number, you can change your address, but I **will** find you, and I will **end you**._

 

Moana immediately stood up and began scanning the restaurant attentively as dread slowly hammered more her fortress of security down… a hundred bricks at a time.

**_DING!_ **

**_DING!_ **

 

She looked down at the message, expecting to see another bone-chilling sentence… instead, he'd sent two pictures of a house. One was the exterior of Uncle Kahua’s house and the other was taken _right in front_ of big windows. Her blood ran cold when she saw the image. It was of her and _Tala_ , taken the day they did dishes together.

Her knees started to buckle, and the earth shook beneath her feet. But she held it together enough not to collapse down on the chair. Instead, she kept looking around the restaurant.

 _‘Where is he?’_ She thought in a panic, unaware that Maui came back emptyhanded and was getting ready to sit back down, till he saw her standing up with a petrified look on her face.

“You okay…?” He asked with obvious hesitance.

Moana slowly took notice of him and took a deep breath as she squeezed her iPhone in her hands. “ _I’m fine._ ” Finally, she sat down, prompting him to sit back down in his seat.

 

His gaze shifted between the distant look in her eyes to her tense white knuckles clutching her expensive phone with enough force to _almost_ break it. His security guard instincts started swirling in his gut. “Gimme your phone _._ ”

She looked up at him with wide eyes, obviously confused and surprised by his strange request. “Excuse me?” She replied.

He repeated with a firm tone, “ _Give me your phone._ ” Moana didn’t seem to react fast enough and before her mind could register it, he’d pluck _her phone_ out of her hands.

Moana finally regain some sense of reality back and demanded in a soft voice, “What are you doing?” She immediately clammed up at the serious expression on his face. She didn’t need to be a mind reader to know his thoughts. She confirmed his assumption. “ _It’s him._ ” 

Maui took a deep breath and looked up at Moana before he very slowly put her phone upside down on the table and slowly towered over her and uttered two simple words. “Outside. _Now._ ” With that, he left the table and walked off.

Moana reached over for her phone, grabbed her purse and followed him.

 

“Daddy! Daddy!” Tala called out as she rushed toward the table holding a long line of tickets in her hands and was completely puzzled at the sight before her. “Daddy?” She quickly turned to her right and watched _—_ _studied_ the other customers before her. “ _Daddy?_ ” Her little feet quickly turned around as she quickly ran back to the gaming area. “ _Hina! Hina! Hina!_ ” She spotted her older sister playing a shooting game. She rushed over and tugged her shirt, “Daddy and Aunty Moana are gone!”

 

Hinatea immediately whirled in the direction of their table. They were gone. She tried not to panic and relief when she spotted them outside. Hina quickly grabbed her sister’s hand pulled her along.

 

 **  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Hina immediately stopped in her tracks and looked on from inside. Tala nearly ran outside and she grabbed her little sister by the shoulders, causing her to look up in confusion. Hina put her fingers to her lips and went, **_shhhh_** … before she reached over for her sister’s hand. Tala pulled her fists up to her chest and clenched them tightly.

Hinatea rolled her eyes and muttered, “ _Whatever_.” Before she walked off away from the entrance. Tala looked back to watch her leave and then turned back to the door once Hina had left. She saw her father pacing back and forth with an aggravated look on his face.

 

 **  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Tension filled the air between them as Moana watched him pacing about. Finally, Maui stopped in his tracks and let his back face her. He put his hands on his hips and took several deep breaths.

She took a step forward, “Maui _—_ ”

“ _Don’t_ talk to me.” He snapped, stopping her in her tracks before he pinched the bridge of his nose, “I need to think right now, _okay?_ ” Moana slowly lowered her head and kept her gaze closed for a few minutes until she heard him let out another deep breath. She lifted her head and stared on as he slowly turned around.

“Listen, I know this none of this is your fault, and I wanna help you Mo. I really do, but if he’s gonna involve _my daughters_ in his game, then I gotta put my girls’ safety _first._ ” He took a deep reluctant breath, “And right now, _you’re_ a danger to all of us. Especially my girls.” These next words were the hardest things he’d had to say, “I want _you_ to _stay away_ from them.”

She nodded in agreement, “I understand.”

He looked down for a moment and saw the distant look in her eyes. “How’re you gonna get home?”

She slowly snapped back to reality and replied solemnly, “I’ll call an Uber.”

He paused for a moment, “Are you gonna to be okay?”

“I’ll be fine.” She replied with a reassuring smile on her face.

“ _You sure?_ ” He asked her again.

She quickly nodded, “I’m sure. Anyway, I’ll cover the bill and you better go.”

He could practically see the emotional crack spreading its lines further and further in that wall of security she’d put around herself. Part of him wanted to help her, but the instincts to protect his family outweighed that urge and he immediately turned to walk back inside and stopped.

 

Her car was back at his house. _Her car was back at his house._

“Your car’s still at my place.” He reminded her as he slowly turned around. Moana slowly raised her head and hugged herself as she turned to face him, obviously surprised by what she thought he was suggesting?

He couldn’t believe that he was going to say this, “After you foot the bill, we’re all heading home.”

 

**  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 **_Click_ ** **.**

 

Aroha opened the door once more and carefully walked into her apartment only to be welcomed by the sound of multiple snores from her living room. She immediately headed over to the kitchen, and gently placed the brown paper bags on the counter. She then looked over, her uncle had fallen asleep on her couch, one of his guests were sleeping on her armchair and the other two on the floor with their backs against the armchair.

She sighed and shook her head and proceeded to take the meat out of the paper bags. The sounds of rustling woke her uncle from his light nap.

He reached over for his half-finished beer can and started drinking once more. Finally, he turned to where she stood and asked with an obvious slur in his voice, “Where the fuck ya been?”

Aroha said as she started unpacking the meat, “I’d take that tone out of your voice if I were you.”

“ _What?_ ” Nikau retorted, “I didn’t hear an answer from ya, girl.”

“I said I’d take that tone outta your voice _—_ ”

“Is that back-talk I hear!?” He shouted, and out of nowhere, Aroha found herself being dragged out of the kitchen by her dress.

Her screaming protests woke her uncle’s guests and to their surprise, saw him pushing Aroha to the floor as Nikau stood screaming over her crying form, “What’d I tell you about talking back to me, eh? You never disrespect your elders _—_ ”

Huaki jumped to his feet and grabbed him by the arm. “Take it easy Nick, she’s just a kid!”

A shaking Aroha slowly pulled herself up from the floor and stood tall, trying hard not to let any more of her tears fall as she told him with gritted teeth. “ _Get out._ ”

“You gonna kick me outta my own house––”

“ _This isn’t your house!_ ” Aroha shout back, “You’re not the one paying rent every bloody month!” Despite his drunken mind, her words _—_ the sharp tone in her voice shut him up. She continued on as she pressed her hands on her hips, “I want you to get out, cool yer head and take your mates with you.”

She continued holding her head high as she replied, “You hear me, Uncle Nick? I'm not ‘bout to let myself get pushed around in my own flat while you bloody act like Jake the muss. _Get out._ ” She then turned to all of them and shouted as she pointed at her door. “ Now get out, _the whole lot of ya_ before I call the bloody the cops!”

Nikau stood there in complete disbelief––in a complete shame that he had been disrespected. But Huaki saw Nikau was about to smack her with all he’s got, and grabbed him by the arm, urging him as he pulled him along, “Hey come on man, let’s go. _Let’s go._ ”

She stood there, still holding her head high as she watched all of them leave.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Forty-five minutes later,

Maui finally parked his bike home. Hina threw off and jumped off her father’s motorbike, leaving him there to shake his head in disbelief. He then turned back to make sure Moana was okay. Fortunately, she appeared calmer than she did before.

A small smile made its way to his face before he offered her a hand.

Moana looked up at him and gave him a polite smile before she accepted his offer. Slowly, she heaved one leg over to one side and carefully climbed down.

Once off, she turned to face him and spoke, “Maui, I know how hard this is _—_ ”

He shrugged his shoulders and replied, “ Hey, it’s the least I can do.” He paused, “So, I guess you’ll be leaving now.” He then turned as Tala slowly unclipped her helmet and asked her, “Tala, let’s say goodbye to Aunty Moana, okay?”

“ _I don't wanna_ ," Tala replied with a flat tone in her voice. Finally, she placed her helmet behind her and quickly got off before Maui could even ask about her attitude.

“Never mind, Maui.” Moana replied, “I really should go.” She looked up at him with a grateful a smile on her face, “Thank you for coming.”

He gave her a soft smirk and replied. “ _You’re welcome._ ”

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Hina glanced quickly at the front door as Maui entered and closed the door behind him. She paused for a moment as a nagging feeling started scratching the back of her mind, there was something she wanted to ask him, and then it clicked. “Oh yeah! Daddy, why’s the door blue now?”

Maui turned, “Hina, you mind leaving me and your sister _alone_ for a few minutes?”

She raised an eyebrow, “ _Why?_ ”

Maui raised a knowing eyebrow and told her, “That’s between me and your sister, _now go on_.”

Hina let out an annoyed sigh and promptly got off the couch before she left for her room.

Maui walked over to the sofa and turned the TV off before he sat down beside her.

“So,” He began, “What’s with the attitude?”

Tala remained silent for a few minutes before she looked up at him and replied, “I don’t like her no more.”

He doubled back and turned away for a moment as he tried to process what she just said. He slowly shook his head in disbelief and immediately turned back to face her, “ _What?_ But I thought you’d like Moana?”

She pulled her knees up to her chest and declared, “ _No I don’t._ ”

“ _Tala _—__ ”

She jumped off the couch and said, “She’s stinky and I don’t like her!” Before she ran off and headed upstairs.

“Tala!” He shouted.

****

**_SLAM!_ **

He sighed exasperatedly as he shook his head in confusion. _Why_ was she acting like this? He couldn’t grasp it _—_ then a thought came rushing into his head, she couldn’t have heard their conversation? _‘Could she?’_

He got off the couch and then left to head upstairs.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

**_Knock_ ** _… **Knock** … _ 

Maui quickly turned the doorknob and stepped inside his daughters’ room.

Hinatea looked over at him and asked, “Can I get back to watching TV now?”

Maui nodded and stepped to one side as Hina rushed out and hurried down the stairs. He turned and saw his little Tala sitting by the windowsill, gazing at the thickets of palm trees and other native fauna. He took a deep breath and walked over toward her. Finally, he sat down next to her and asked, “So, you gonna tell me what’s bothering you or not?”

Tala slowly turned him and said, “I don’t like Aunty Moana anymore.”

“And why is that?” Maui asked. She remained silent and he pressed on. “ _Tala._ ”

Finally, she answered, “She made you mad.”

Guilt slowly etched its way toward his eyes when the realization hit. She _had_ been watching after all.

Maui sighed for a moment and began with, “I’m not mad at her. But, **_ummm_** … something’s happened and it’s not safe to be around her right now.”

Tala looked up at him, “Why?”

He sighed and answered simply with, “Well… it’s grown-up stuff.” He then turned to her and added, “Right now, it’s not safe to be around her at this time. Okay?”

Tala slowly nodded, “Okay Papa.”

He smiled, "Now, how about you put your swimsuit on and lets _all_ head out to the beach.”

Her eyes immediately perked up and she cheered, “Yay!”

Maui chuckled as she hopped off the windowsill and rushed to her dresser. Finally, he stood up to leave the room and head downstairs to give his eldest daughter the good news.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

By two in the afternoon, Moana finally pulled up to Kameālohas’ drive, and was surprised to see Waiola and Kahua standing outside… talking to two Sheriffs. Apprehension immediately filled her entire being and she quickly shut turned off her engine and stepped out of her car.

Seven steps later, she finally saw the reason for all the commotion. Their tires had been slashed and their windshield broke open. Her whole body froze in place as the sense of violation vibrated through her like an inner church bell.

Kahua saw her in the corner of his eye and immediately gave her a reassuring smile. Waiola, on the other hand, had a worried look on her face, she then turned and noticed Moana’s presence. Kahua’s eyes shifted between Moana and his wife’s, and he took a deep breath.

But, there was nothing that could be done _—_ Moana’s worst fears had already been confirmed. Her ex-husband had found her… and now they were involved, and this _was all her fault._  

"Thank you, officers," Kahua said politely before the two sheriffs turned and headed their way. He watched as they both entered their cars and left. Finally, he put his arm around his wife’s shoulders and then turned to Moana. "What's wrong, ocean?" He asked her.

Moana quickly shook her head and took a deep breath, “I’m so _so sorry_.”

Waiola let out a short sharp sigh before she turned to the young woman before her. “I know you are Moana. But… you can’t stay here.” Kahua opened his mouth to object and immediately shut it back up when he saw the sharp look on his wife's face. Waiola then continued, "I'm sorry too, honey. Believe me when I say this. We want to have you here too _—_ "

Moana interjected, “That’s okay, Aunty. I understand. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Kahua then smiled and told her, “Don’t thank us _just yet._ ” Moana raised an eyebrow. He quickly pulled his arm off his wife’s shoulder and then ran inside the house. Waiola immediately rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.

He finally made it to the front door and quickly entered.

Moana stood beside Waiola, still completely puzzled for a few seconds, then her eyes widened in shock as a certain _two_ came out behind Kahua as he exited.

Moana took a step forward in shock. “Mom? _Dad?_ ”

Tui turned to her as he placed his hand on his wife’s shoulders, and gave her an affirmative nod. Tui slowly pulled his arm off Sina’s shoulders and stepped to one side as their daughter rushed over toward her mother’s opened arms.

Tui turned to Kahua and said, “Thank you for everything, Kahua.”

Kahua replied with an enthusiastic smile, “Ah, no need to thank us _, brah,_ we’re all family here.”

Sina gave Moana a big hug, and kept her hands on her daughter’s shoulders as she asked, “Are you alright, my little minnow?”

"I'm okay Mom, I'm okay," Moana replied as Waiola walked over to the two. Sina then pulled her hands off Moana’s shoulders and went over to give Waiola a hug. "Thank you for taking her in, Waiola."

“Of course.” Waiola replied, “I just wish it were different circumstances.”

Sina nodded in understanding.

“Where will you be staying?” Waiola asked.

"Our family home," Sina replied.

Waiola nodded in approval before she turned to Moana and then gave her a hug. “Be safe.”

Moana hugged her back, “Thank you, Aunty.”

Waiola and Sina turned to the sound of their husbands’ laughter. The two then started giggling as they turned to one another. Moana smiled to hear the sounds of their laughter, and for a moment she felt everything was going to be alright.

 

After a few minutes of chit-chat, Sina gave Waiola another hug of gratitude, and looked over at her husband, just to double check if it was time for them to go?

Tui nodded in confirmation and turned to his wife and daughter as he waited by his daughter’s car.

“Bye Aunty.” Moana replied, “I’ll keep in touch.”

Waiola nodded, “You stay safe, okay? Keep your tracks short.”

Moana nodded, “I will.”

 

 **  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

4 PM,

Maui sat down on the beach towel, wearing his favorite earthy green swimming trunks with brown shark patterns, watching as his daughters played near the shore. He looked around at all the various tourists and a couple of locals walking around the sand. Some of them sunbathing, and others taking pictures, carrying large surfboards underneath their shoulders as they rushed to the water.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes and these tourists, but part of him felt a pang of envy. _Oh, how would he love to go surfing again._ But, it wouldn't be the same. Not without Lani surfing along beside him. He slowly pulled his eyes up to this chest and stared down at the surfacers riding the waves as the ocean made his long thick curly hair flutter. He took a big whiff of the salty air, and thoughts of his late wife started to echo through.

 

Lani loved the waves _—_ _heck,_ she loved everything about the ocean. That was the only reason she worked as a part-time lifeguard in these sort of places… who would’ve thought she died doing what she loved the most?

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

_28 th March 2017,_

_Maui sped through the highways in his secondhand red four-door Jeep Wrangler, with his heart in his throat. A million thoughts raced in his brain. He’d gotten a call at work _—_ no, not ‘a call’ it was **the call**. The call he’d never dream in a million years he’d ever get. Maui kept pressing his hand on the klaxon over and over and over again till he finally saw an opening. _

_He couldn’t remember how long it took for him to reach Kapiolani Medical Center, all he could remember rushing in down into the hall and making a mad dash for the reception desk._

_A second later he felt his heart soaring when he heard his eldest daughter calling out to him. “Daddy!” He turned around and saw Hinatea still wearing her dark blue one-piece bathing suit, running straight to him. Maui immediately got down on his knees and pulled her into his arms._

_“Papa!” Tala came barreling through with tears in her eyes, still wearing her pink bathing suit with the thin lavender nylon frills sewn around the waist. He stretched out his left arm and pulled her close._

_He began trying to settle them down with gentle shushes while the two of them kept blubbering about their mother. Then one of the emergency room staff walked over toward the small family with a nurse following her in tow._

_“Mr Tuputala?”_

_He looked up and saw the female brown haired and green eyed doctor with the slightly sunburnt tanned skin. “Yeah?” He replied._

_She slowly nodded in affirmation and turned to the nurse, and then whispered something to her. The nurse nodded and ushered the two sisters to the play area._

_Once alone her warm and welcoming expression turned to that of dread, and finally sympathy. Maui slowly stood up as he felt his heart slowly starting to sink._

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

The music blasted out the speakers as the cool, the lights that glowed beneath the bar counter’s surface, the different brands of booze sitting there _—_ calling Nikau and his friends to have more drinks.

“Can you believe this shit?” Nikau spoke the slur in his voice becoming more obvious after drinking what must’ve been his seventh or eighth cup of beer. “Kicked out by my own blood.” He turned to his drinking buddies with sluggish movements, “She doesn’t know good she has it?” He then took another chug of his beer as he started rambling, “Twenty-one and ain’t married. _Fuck._ ” He turned away for a moment and then he quickly turned his head to them again. “Eh, you know what she needs fellas? A _chap,_ y’know a husband, a couple ‘em kids.”

Huaki then said, “Never mind that bro, y’know how kids are these days. No respect.”

Nikau let out a scoff of agreement and looked away as he muttered. “ _Bloody kids_.” He then turned and noticed that his three buddies had finished their drinks. “ _Oi_ , wanna another round of piss fellas? It’s my shout.”

“Nah, cheers, we’ve all had our fill bro," Huaki replied being the soberest one of the group as the other two slowly nodded in agreement.

“ _What?_ I’m suddenly not good enough fer ya?” Nikau then spoke out, now getting angrier by the second as he suddenly jumped to his feet, knocking the barstool down. “I’m only good fer ya as my money’s worth, eh!? You wanna a one-out is that it!? Come on! I’ll knock yer fucking head off _—_ ”

Huaki then rose to his feet and told him off. “Chill out bro _—_ ”

**_SMACK!_ **

With one punch he managed to knock Huaki down to the floor. Fists were flying, and the new customers who tried to break up the fight were knocked down to the floor and unfortunately became caught up in the fight. Within seconds, what started as a small fight between two, phased into an overall brawl.

The bouncers for that afternoon sprang into action and finally managed to separate the group.

 

 **  
** **< III><III><III><III>**

****

**_Beep_ ** _… **Beep** … **Beep** …_

 _The tune to Aloha ‘oe echoed inside his mind as he stepped forth into the ICU, he was led into one of closed off sections. The doctor reached for the curtain and pulled it to one side._

_The first thing Maui saw was his unconscious wife lying there on the hospital bed dressed in a hospital gown. The second thing he saw was the wires that connected the reading machines to her covered chest, and the heart monitor that stood right above her._

_What shocked him the most was that her long beautiful wavy hair was gone… all of it was hastily shaved off with a buzzer, and more wires were connected to the side of her head._

_His heart broke even more at the sight of the breathing tube wedged inside her sweet sounding lips, and that invasive feeding tube was pushed up inside her right nostril or that horrible breathing tube forced down her throat. Thankfully he couldn’t see any noticeable bruises anywhere on her peaceful face._

_His thoughts immediately honed in on her and how she laid there **sleeping** … that’s right she was just sleeping and she could wake up any day now _—__

_"…brain dead." That was the only word his mind had managed to take in as the doctor then began explaining more and more medical terms _—_ it sounded like a foreign language to him._

_All the while he couldn't even begin to grasp that **this** was even remotely real. It **couldn’t be**. He slowly began shaking his head in deniable. Finally, he felt the doctor place a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. _

_“Mr Tuputala, I promise you we’ll do what we can. But we can’t guarantee that she’ll ever regain consciousness.”_

_“She’s gonna wake up again. Just give her a bit of time.”_

_The doctor nodded, “I’ll leave you two alone for a moment.” She then turned around and left the ICU._

_Maui slowly turned to the bed and carefully walked over to her side, and pulled her hand from under the blanket and grasped it tight before he lifted it up to press his lips against her knuckles. He lifted his head and kept his eyes set firmly at her face. Carefully he placed her hand down and reached over to brush his thumb against her soft skin. “I’m here baby, I’m right here.” He whispered before he leaned over and gave her a quick kiss on the corner of her still lips._

_He stayed with her for a whole hour and had to be physically pulled away when his limited visit had come to an end. All the while he had a hard time convincing himself that any of this was even remotely real._

**< III><III><III><III>**

_Soon, he had the hardest task of all, informing their daughters, Waiola, Uncle Kahua and all of their six children the terrible news. And that was all… he couldn’t be bothered calling her parents. No way, no how. He knew that they _—_ her mother especially _—_ would just use this situation and turn into a pity fest, and he was in no mood to deal with her drama or crocodile tears._

_He had enough of that._

_Maui sat down in the waiting room, trying to keep it together as Tala and Hinatea kept asking about where her mother was? Soon, the sounds of rushed echoed in front of him, and he looked up to see Kahua standing, with his back hunched over as he took several deep breaths, proof that he'd had run all the way here._

_Waiola, all five of their daughters and Hiapo came rushing over. “Where is she?” Waiola asked with a worried tone in her voice._

_Maui looked up at her for a moment and then turned to his daughters. “Why don’t you and Hiapo go and wait by the play area, okay?”_

_“But we were just there!” Hinatea pointed out._

_“When can we see Mama?” Tala asked._

_Hiapo walked over and took their hands, “C’mon girls.”_

_“But we wanna see Mama.” The two sisters protested as Hiapo took their hands and led them away._

_Maui then turned to look at Waiola, Kahua and their five daughters before he took a deep breath and answered, “She’s in Intensive Care.” Waiola slowly put her hand over her mouth while Kahua put a comforting hand on his wife’s shoulder._

_Aimata then took a step forward and asked the question that filled everyone’s mind. “How bad is she?”_

_Maui looked up at her and said, “ **Bad** , but I know she’s gonna better.” _

_Aimata walked over and sat down beside him. She then grabbed his hand. “We’ll pray for her, okay?”_

_He looked up at her and gave her a watery smile as he placed his hand upon hers.“Thank you.”_

_Soon the nurse came up toward the family with a small stack of forms stuck on a clipboard. “Excuse me,” The nurse greeted, “Which one of you is the patient’s next of kin?”_

_Maui immediately stood up and replied, “That would be me.”_

_The nurse nodded and jotted it down before she asked, “And how are you related to the patient?”_

_Maui took a deep breath and answered solemnly, “I’m her husband.”_

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

“Daddy!” Tala called out, “Wanna build sandcastles?”

Maui smiled and replied as he slowly stood up, “Prepare to be amazed girls! You’re dealing with the _king_ of sandcastles.”

Tala started bouncing in excitement as he came walking over. Hinatea dutifully handed their father the sand bucket. Maui then got down on his knees and started filling the bucket with moist sand and patted its bottom till it was nice and smooth. Out of nowhere Tala laid down on the sand and requested, "Bury me, Papa!"

Maui chuckled and asked, “ _You sure?_ ”

“Yes!” Tala replied.

He raised an eyebrow and then turned to Hinatea and spotted the all too familiar smile on her face, “So, my trusty assistant, shall we bury her?”

Hinatea saluted and replied, “Ay, ay, Captain!”       

Tala let out an excited squeal when Hina started pushing the sand over her little sister. Maui then shoved sand forward over Tala’s little body covering her midsection and her calves.

"Keep going, Papa!" Tala cheered on as he and her sister kept going, till only her head and feet were sticking out.

Maui finally pulled himself back for a moment and said, “I think that’s enough for now.” He cupped his own chin in thought and then turned to his _trusty assistant._ “So, sandcastle beside her?”

Hinatea grinned and replied, “Sandcastle beside her.”

Maui turned back to Tala and said, “Alright kiddo, now I need you to stay _very_ still.”

"Okay, Papa!" Tala giggled as she stayed still as a statue as her father and sister spent the next few minutes building the sandcastle next to her tiny dune. Maui then poked the tip of her little nose with a small flag, made together using a tiny twig and leaf, and stuck it on the top of the sandcastle. Tala lifted her head slightly and smiled widely.

 

Then a familiar boyish cry echoed in the direction of the waves. Hina quickly got up, prompting Tala to rush out of her little sand dune and inevitably caused the sandcastle to crumple over.

Maui rolled his eyes and shook his head and watched as his daughters ran straight toward where Hiapo could be seen surfing. He then lifted his head when the two went a little _too deep_ into the water. “ _Girls!_ " He yelled from the top of his lungs. The two minuscule forms of his daughters quickly whirled around at the sound of his voice. He told them, “Stay where the waves _won’t_ knock you down!”

He looked on as Hinatea grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her along closer to the beach. He let out a sigh of relief as he slowly turned to retract back to their spot.

Maui let out an amused scoff as he continued on watching his daughters playing in the sand.

Soon, he spotted Hiapo swimming on his surfboard forward to shore and toward his two young second cousins were waiting for him. A small lopsided dimpled smile peered on his left cheek as his daughters then surrounded Hiapo, where Tala began tugging on his arm, and Hina then started begging him to take them both surfing on his board, and they kept going on and on and on, till he finally agreed to take them.

Maui let out a deep chuckle as his daughters quickly got on the front of Hiapo’s surfboard, and off they went to the water.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Nikau wandered aimlessly the streets in a drunken stupor, bumping into people and walking straight through groups without a care in the world or for those who all walked around him. Following his instincts, that was all he knew. _Bloody Maui. Bloody little Aroha. Bloody rich Pākehā folk who looked down on him._

He continued walking on without a care in the world, _until_ an unfortunate young mixed couple and shouted in his drunken rage, “ _Fuck off!_ Don’cha know who I am? _Huh?_ ” Nikau slowly started to stalk the couple, each time they tried to get away. The young Hawaiian man immediately got in front of his ashy brown-haired and green-eyed girlfriend and said to Nikau with his hands half-raised in front of him as he slowly walked backwards, prompting his girlfriend to walk backwards as well. “Hey, take it easy dude. We don’t want any trouble _—_ ”

Nikau suddenly lunged at the young woman’s boyfriend, knocking him down to the ground and started raining his fists down, all the while he screamed. “I’ll teach ya to bloody disrespect me, boy! Ya hear!”

The young woman then got behind him and started pounding him as hard as she could all the while, “Get off him! Get off him you psycho!”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Aroha winced as she started dabbing a cold towel to her right cheek, trying to stop the faint hint of blue from becoming darker on her tanned skin, and then started dabbing it against her bruised shoulder.

**_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_ **

She turned away from the bathroom mirror in confusion, and the sound of loud urgent knocks continued. Aroha immediately put the towel down and walked out of her bathroom.

She made her way to her front door as the knocks carried on. She cautiously opened the door, and to her surprise, it was Huaki standing outside, slightly bloodied up and worst for wear. He turned to her and asked, “You alright?”

Aroha took a deep breath, “I’m better off than you are right now.” She then opened the door wider for him. “Come in.”

Huaki immediately stepped inside and glanced around her apartment. “He hasn’t been ‘round here has he?”

She frowned and said, “After what he did to me, not a chance.”

Huaki bit the corner of his lip and hissed, “ _Shit!_ ” He started pacing around her living room.

Once again she took his wounds to consideration, “Lemme get a first-aid kit.”

Huaki waved her concerns off, “Never mind that ‘Roha, the important thing is we find him and his sorry drunk ass before he starts smacking people over.”

Aroha didn’t think twice and rushed over to her key basket, quickly grabbed Nikau's car keys and said, "We're taking his car. _Come on!_ ” Huaki immediately ran out after her.

 

The two then jumped into Nikau’s rental car, and Aroha turned on the engine. She then pulled out of the carpark and set the gear to drive. “Where’d you last see him?”

“Some bar close to North King Street.”

“ _A bar?_ ” She exclaimed, “What the hell he’s going to a bar for?” Her question passed through his ears as he kept an eye out for him. “Can you turn the radio on Uncle?”

He turned to her for a moment, “What?”

She replied as she kept her eyes on the road, “Can you turn the radio? Y'know, switch on the news station. Who knows, there might be something on there."

Huaki then turned the dial on the radio and started switching through the channels till he finally found the right channel. He and Aroha listened closely for any sort of clue or description that remotely matched her uncle’s appearance. About five minutes after the mundane everyday reports regarding the latest celebrity news, US politics.

At last, there was a police report regarding an unprovoked attack of a young couple near the area of North King Place, and the perpetrator was a drunken man of Hawaiian or Pacific Island descent, ranging between the age of thirty to thirty-nine, with medium build, and that he was wearing a black sleeveless tank top with long dark brown cargo pants.

Huaki was heard muttering, “ _Fricking dumbass._ ”

Aroha quickly made the turn toward in the direction of that specific street as they both continued keeping an eye out, till she stated. “Can you take charge, Uncle? I gotta keep my eyes on the road.”

Huaki replied hastily without taking his glances away from the sidewalks. “Yeah sure.” His eyes darted, his shoulders became rigid and finally, he turned to Aroha and asked, “You got to something to smoke? Or something to sniff?”

She replied, “Nah, I stay away from that stuff, Uncle.”

“You a clean girl, eh?” He remarked, grinning as he tapped his own temple. “ _Smart._ Don’t end up like us poor sorry lot, hey?”

That put a small smile on her face as she replied, “ _Āe._ ”

Huaki then clapped on the dashboard as they nearly drove passed a bar. “Aroha, stop here. This pub right here.” She quickly put the backlights to signal other drivers as she started to parallel park. Huaki went out the very second she’d unlocked the car and made a mad dash for the pub. Aroha locked the door and rushed out after him.

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

The two were surprised to find the pub was modestly crowded, and that Aroha certainly wasn’t expecting to see Aimata up on the small stage, holding a putting up the microphone stand, wearing a mid-length strapless dark blue dress and three-inch black open heels.

Aroha then quickly snapped out of it and quickly approached her.

Aimata heard the sound of hurried footsteps heading toward the stage. “ _Aroha?_ ” She appeared equally as surprised to see her there and saw the bruises on her face and upper arm, she quickly got off the stage and quickly went over to her. “Are you okay _—_ ”

Aroha quickly answered, “I’m fine, I just had a trip, that’s all.”

Aimata immediately crossed her arms over her chest and raised a suspicious eyebrow before she stated, “Quit lying. _He_ did it, didn’t he?” Aroha remained silent. She took a deep breath and started to mutter under her breath, “ _That motherf _—__ ”

Aroha cut her off and asked, “He hasn’t been ‘round here has he?”

“ _No…?_ ” Aimata replied, this time eying her with confusion. “Aroha, _please_ tell me you’re not looking for _—_ look what he did to you _—_ ”

Aroha interjected, “He’s still my uncle.”

Aimata then gave her a no-nonsense look as she stated _very clearly._ “Families don’t hurt each other like that. _Ever._ _Toxic people_ , on the other hand, _do._ ” She then put her hands on her hips, “Next time I see him, I’m calling the cops, _period._ ”

Aimata then looked over behind Aroha and called out, “ _Hey you._ ” Huaki jerked back in shock and quickly looked around wondering who she was looking at. Aimata then looked straight at him, “Yeah, _you_ with the goatee _._ ” She then pointed to where her eyes were, “My eyes… are _up here._ ”

Aroha let out a frustrated sigh and turned around to pull Huaki out of the pub and ignored his protests as he spoke out, “ _Hey, hey, hey,_ ‘Roha wait––at least lemme ask for her number––" 

Aimata let out a deep sigh and shook her head. He was quite an awful man to remember, and she also recalled the way he'd smugly announced that he was, _in fact_ , one of Maui's mysterious brothers. If that was _indeed_ the case, then that made them family _through marriage._

_Ohana is number one._ That's what both her parents had drilled into her, her brother, sisters and Lani as they were growing up. Aimata then rushed out the door exactly a second after they left, and caught Aroha just as she was about to enter the familiar looking car.

Aimata called out to her as she crossed her arms over her chest. “ _Hey._ ” She paused for a moment, “I think you’re crazy, _but_ I’m gonna help you find him. But if I do, I’m taking his sorry butt to the police station.”

 

“Why’re you interested now?” Aroha asked.

Aimata took a deep breath and said, “Because we’re family, and families help each other.”

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

An hour had passed by the time the sun started to set, Maui felt it was time for them to get going. He finally packed up his beach towel into his beach bag, slung over his shoulder and headed down toward the shore as everyone else was getting ready to go.

Hiapo swam over to the beach with the girls sitting at the front of his surfboard.

“Had fun?” Maui asked as he looked down at them with a smile on his face.

“ ** _Uh-huh_** _!_ ” Tala replied seconds before she jumped off the board. “Can we come back tomorrow, Papa?”

“ _Sure_ _—_ ”

“And can you come surfing with us?” Hina interjected.

His heart skipped a beat and for a moment he felt a loss for words. So, he stood there silent and still as stone. Then, a small voice cracked through his throat as he hesitantly answered. “ ** _Ummm_** … well… I’ll _think_ about it okay?”

Hina frowned for a moment and muttered, “ _I knew it_.”

Maui narrowed his eyes in confusion, “Knew _what?_ ”

“ _Nothing_ ," Hina replied before she stood up and grabbed her sister’s hand. “C’mon Tala.” And pulled her away.

Maui turned to Hiapo, who stood behind him with his surfboard tucked under his left arm. Hiapo simply shrugged his shoulders, but Maui felt that he knew more than he was letting on.

“What’s going on?” Maui asked him.

“You should really be asking her, _brah,_ not me," Hiapo replied. Maui then gave him an annoyed frown and then shoved him backwards into the wet sand in retaliation, before he carried on out of the beach.

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Maui pushed the trolley through the aisles of Cheap Market, looking through each of the different products, keeping an eye out for the lowest prices he could find.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Tala yelled out suddenly as she came rushing over, carrying a bag of her favorite snacks, "Can we get these, _pleeeeaaaase!_ ” Before he could even a word in Hinatea then came running over, holding her own bag of snacks and started begging him as well.

“ _Hey, Hey, Hey,_ _kids._ ” Maui finally spoke out before he put his foot down. “First thing, _keep it down,_ we’re at the store _._ Second thing, you can only get _one_ okay? So one of you have to put your snacks back.”

Tala turned to her sister, ready to play rock, paper, scissors, but was surprised to find her putting her snack back on the shelf, before she walked back over toward them, and immediately grabbed her sister’s snack to put in the trolley. 

Maui gave her a proud smile as she came walking over, and then frowned when he saw the expression on his eldest daughter’s face. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Hina shrugged her shoulders and replied, “Nothing.” She then looked up at him, “Are we done yet?”

He sighed, “Not yet, there’s still three more things on the list.”

“Oh…  _okay._ ” She replied.

Maui took a deep breath and then knelt down to her level, “Tell you what, if you get the next three things on the list, I’ll make your _favorite_ dessert for tonight, how does that sound?”

Hinatea paused for a moment and then quickly shook her head.

He then paused and tried to think of a way to make her smile, then he suggested, “How about your favorite dinner?” He paused for a moment and then asked, “Well, what do you want then?”

She shrugged her dispirited shoulders and stood there with her head tilted away from him.

He let out a long sigh and muttered, “ _Okay then…_ ”

 

"Oh look, Allie, it's one of your little friends!" A cheerful older woman was heard stating a few feet behind the family.

“Mom _,_ they’re _not_ my friends," Allison replied with obvious hostility as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Her red-haired mother quickly pushed her trolley, the bottom of her light blue _muumuu_ fluttered as she scurried her way toward the family. “ ** _Yoohoo_** _!_ _Maui!_ ”

Maui slowly stood up and greeted her politely with a slow awkward wave and awkward smile, “ _Hi, Mrs Williams…_ ”

She stopped right beside him, “I’ve been meaning to get back to you about the girls’ play date.”

Allison then groaned beside her, “ _Moooooom _—__ ”

Mrs Williams continued, “But I’ve just been so gosh darn busy, I completely forgot!”

Maui then replied with a shrug, “Real life issues, _right?_ ”

He fought hard not to cringe at the sound of her excited gasp as leaned forward to his daughters’ level, and affectionately pinched Hina’s cheek as she said, “Where does the time go? You two were still in _diapers_ last time I saw you!” She finally pulled her fingers away from Hina’s cheek and looked up at Maui as the eight-year-old girl rubbed her pinched cheek.

Suddenly her eyes perked up, and it was clear to all of them there, that a _brilliant_ idea had popped into her mind. “How about, we set the playdate on the night of Allison’s slumber party?”

“ _MOOOOOOM!_ ” Allison grunted through gritted teeth with obvious disgust on her face.

But her over exuberant mother carried on, “It’ll be like killing two birds with one stone! And it’ll be a good chance for Hina to have girl-time with her friends!”

Maui paused for a moment, “ ** _Uhhh_** … _Mrs Williams _—__ ”

Allison’s mother then said with a friendly tone, “ _Oh_ , don’t be shy, call me Rachel.”

Maui finally could get a word in and told her politely, “ _Rachel_ , I’ll have a think about it… and I’ll call you later, okay?”

Rachel Williams then stated, “Well, I’ll be keeping an eye out for your call!”

Maui let out a nervous chuckle and replied politely, “And… I’ll be _looking forward_ to letting you know.”

Allison crossed her arms once more and muttered, “ _Oh great_ …”

Rachel then pushed her trolley forward and said with her thick southern accent as she waved, “ _Aloha!_ ”

Maui waved back. “ _Aloha._ ”

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Later that night,

 

“Dad?” Hina called out as she slowly made her way to the living room, dressed in her favorite Finding Nemo pajamas.

Maui immediately turned the TV off and turned toward the archway. “Hey, why aren’t you in bed?”

Hinatea paused for a moment and finally asked him, “You’re not gonna make me go to Allison’s… _are you_?”

He replied, “ _Nah_ ,” And dismissed the idea with a wave of his arm, “Don’t worry about it. From what I can tell, Allison didn’t seem thrilled about it either.”

“So… I _don’t_ have to go?” She asked hesitantly.

Maui raised an eyebrow, “ _What do you think?_ ”

She giggled and said, “ _No._ ”

He smiled and pointed out, “Well, there’s your answer! Now, _bed _—__ ”

She asked, “What were you watching?”

Maui smiled and then switched the TV on. Hinatea watched from where she stood as from the archway and listened as a woman sang:

**_“The hills are alive,_ **

**_With the sound of music _—_ ” _ **

 

“Who’s that?” Hina asked as she stared at the short blonde haired woman on the screen.

Maui turned to her with a surprised look on his face, “ _You_ don’t know who Julie Andrews is?” His shock only increased when he saw shaking her head. _There was no way he was going to let her go without knowing who Julie Andrews is._ Finally, he patted the cushion next to him. “ _Come on._ ”

Hina quickly rushed over to the sofa and immediately sat down beside him.

Maui then grabbed the bowl of popcorn he'd prepared and noted with a nostalgic smile on his face, "Now _,_ this is what I call _a classic_.” He then passed the bowl toward her.

“It looks old.” Hina remarked as she grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuff it in her mouth, and asked right after she swallowed, “When did it come out?”

Maui tilted his head slightly in thought and replied with a shrug, "Nineteen-sixty-five, I think?”

Hina paused for a moment and then asked, “How old are you now, Dad?”

He turned and gave her a questioning look.

She shrugged her shoulders and replied innocently, “What? I just wanna know.”

“ _Thirty._ ” He answered reluctantly, and that’s when he saw the calculating look on her face as she began the subtractions in her head. His expression turned to one of annoyance.

Then a puzzled look overcame as she stated, “That doesn’t make _any_ sense.”

Maui simply raised an eyebrow and asked with his closed fist pressed against his cheek, “ _What_ doesn’t make any sense?”

She specified, “How could you’ve watched it when you weren’t even _born_ in nineteen-sixty-five?”

He then pointed out, “Hina, ever thought that it was possible I watched _after_ it came out in nineteen-sixty-five?”

She paused for a moment and said, “ ** _Ummmm_** _… yes?_ ”

Maui then ended the issue with, “ _Well, there you go._ ” She opened her mouth, but he quickly put his finger to his lips and said, “ ** _Shh!_** Now, watch the movie.”

Hinatea gave him an annoyed look and turned back to watch the movie, immediately had a questionable look on her face as she saw nuns––singing and _complaining_ about somebody named _Maria_ and pinning clouds down? “What kinda movie is this…?” She muttered.

Her father shushed her again without even taking his eyes off the screen. Hina rolled her eyes and reluctantly continued watching the _boring_ movie.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 ** _Click!_** With a push of a button, the TV shut off and Maui turned to his right. “Whaddya think, shark _—_ ”

Hina sat up with a quick snort and clicked her tongue several times. She then turned to face him with her half opened eyes. “Huh?”

An endearing dimpled smile slowly etched on his left cheek, “C’mon kiddo.” He leaned forward and lifted her up against his shoulder. Hina rested her head against his shoulder as he carried out of the living room and upstairs to the bedroom she and Tala shared. 

“Dad,” Hina called out to him, “When can I have own room?”

"When we move into a bigger house." He replied with an assuring smile on his face.

She yawned, “When?”

“Someday, _soon._ ” He smiled at the sounds of her snores as she slept. “ _I promise._ ” He whispered as he slowly opened her bedroom door. 

Slowly, he crept toward the queen sized bed and carefully laid Hina down on her side of the bed. Finally, he gently pulled the blanket up and tucked it beneath her chin.

Hina’s eyes fluttered from the touch and she smiled while giving him a tired stare. “Love you, Dad.” She whispered.

Maui leaned forward and gave a fatherly kiss on the forehead, “G’night shark-bait, I love you too. _More_ than you ever know.”  

 

“Can you sing me a song?” She asked.

He chuckled and asked, “Will it help you sleep?” A wide smile perched through his lips as she nodded. “Okay, what song do you wanna hear?”

She replied, “The one the dad sang to everybody when he played guitar.”

He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do you want me to play guitar too?”

“Yeah.” She replied with a slight grin.

“Okay, _wait_ right there," Maui told her as he stood up and left to grab his guitar.

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

 

Hina laid her head back on her pillow and smiled as her father strummed the guitar. Soon, he slowly started to play the chords from heart and soon he began singing:

**_"Edelweiss, Edelweiss,_ **

**_Every morning you greet me _—_ ”_ **

****

** <III><III><III><III>**

 

 

“We’re nearly out of gas!” Aroha noted as she took one quick glance on the meter.

Huaki told her as he continued keeping an eye out. “I’ve got enough money to fill her up.” Soon his aim changed and now, he had was looking out for a gas station.

The car drove on for a few more minutes before it slowly came to a stop. Aroha tried turning the key to start the engine once more, but it wouldn’t start. She then looked at the meter once again, the indicator was set on E for empty. A soft frustrated sigh escaped her lips.

Headlights then shut off from behind them and Aimata immediately stepped out of her car. Aroha pulled the keys out of the ignition and stepped out of her uncle’s rental car. “We’re out of gas.” She explained.

Aimata walked back over to her car and opened the passenger door, “Get in.”

Aroha quickly got in, Huaki then raced to the back seat and climbed in after her.

And soon they were on the road again, searching the sidewalks, streets and more bars, but he was nowhere to be found. “Where could he be?” Aroha asked herself after they drove for nearly a mile.

Huaki then asked her, “Have you checked _Tikitiki’s_ house?”

Aimata scrunched her nose in confusion, “ _Tikitiki_? Who’s _Tikitiki?_ ”

Huaki then leaned over toward Aimata’s seat and stated, “Maui Tauheke, sista. Nick’s baby brother.”

Aimata then corrected him, “You mean Maui _Tuputala._ ”

“ _Tuputala?_ ” Huaki exclaimed, “For real? He took his mother’s name?” Aimata gave him a confused stare through the rearview mirror.

Huaki let out a long sigh, “Can’t say I don’t blame the poor bastard. He’s more Tuputala than Tauheke anyway, eh?”

Aimata remained silent, but Aroha had a sneaking suspicion and turned back to him. “Hey Uncle, why’d you mention Uncle Maui’s house? What’s the story?” He immediately hesitated but Aroha remained firm, “ _What’s the story?_ ” 

Huaki then admitted, “It’s your granddad’s doing, ‘Roha. He’s the one who’d sent yer uncle here in the first place.”

The apprehension became clear in Aroha’s voice as she asked, “What for?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat and said, “He needs money, girl. That’s what for. Your granddad’s flat out broke and your other uncles don’t wanna help him out ** _ _—__** ”

Aimata pressed her foot on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden sharp stop. Finally, she turned to face Huaki with narrowed eyes. “I’m sorry, _his father_ needs _his widowed son’s_ money?”

“Yeah,” Huaki admitted, “ He does.”

Aroha then said, “What? He tired of living off the dole, eh?”

Huaki was surprised by the hostility in her voice and immediately tried to calm the situation down, “Hey, ‘Roha it ain’t like that ** _ _—__** ”

Aroha then opened the passenger door and turned to face him. “Y’know what, I’m tired about hearing his bloody excuses!”

 

**_SLAM!_ **

 

Aimata then turned her head back to Huaki, and said with obvious disapproval, “Get out of my car.”

Huaki quickly got out and shut the door, and stood there. Aimata then stepped out and called Aroha, “Get in, I’ll drive you back to your place.” 

The young Maori woman stopped in her tracks and paused for a moment, before she finally took her offer, and quickly walked back inside the car. Aimata quickly locked her car before Huaki could even open the back door, and sped off. Leaving him there in the dust.

Aroha turned to her for a moment and said, “You really gonna just leave him there.”

“He’ll be alright, he’s a _big boy_ now.” Aimata remarked, “Do you mind if we make a quick stop?”

Aroha turned to her, “A quick stop? _Where?_ ”

Aimata replied, “You’ll see.”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

**_“Bless my homeland,_ **

**_Forever.”_** He played the last note and smiled to see his eldest daughter, now fast asleep. Carefully, he stood up and slowly crept out of the room before he quietly shut the door behind him.

Maui let out a soft sigh of relief as he softly made his way downstairs and walked down the hallway before he turned right and headed back to the living room. He sat down on the sofa and turned on the TV, and then started skimming through all the local channels _—_ _the only channels_ he had and sighed when there was nothing good on.

 ** _Click_** _._ And the TV faded to black. Now, what could he do? Read a book? Play some old DVDs or watch home movies for the next three hours?

Any normal person would just open a laptop and watch YouTube videos. If only he had a laptop… or internet.

 _Luxuries_. He told him, they were luxuries that he couldn’t afford. _Not anymore._

“Home movies it is…” He muttered to himself as he stood up and headed over to his home movies shelf.

His eyes scanned each of the labels. _Our wedding, Hinatea’s birth, Hina’s 1 st Birthday, Hina’s first day at the beach… _and so on and so forth. Then he finally found the one he was looking. _Tala’s birth._ He pulled the small home DVD off the shelf and inserted it into the DVD player.

 

Finally, he grabbed the remote and pressed play, and then sat down to watch the magical memory on the screen before him.

 

  

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

  _Maui pointed the camera right at her. **“Hey there Pretty Mama, how’re you feeling?”**_

_Lani looked up at him from the hospital bed and took a deep breath before she rested her head on her pillow and her hands upon her full pregnant belly. **“Tired.”** She replied with a sleepy smile on her face, **“And in pain.”**_

**_“Yeah?”_ **

**_“Yeah,”_ ** _She replied as she lifted two fingers, **“The contractions are two minutes apart.”**_

_He then chuckled and then turned the camera to video their three-year-old Hinatea as she sat down on the chair. **“Hear that shark-bait? You’re gonna be a big sister soon.”**_

_Hina lifted stopped playing with her dress and looked up at him, making her curly pigtails bounce as she spoke, **“Baby?”**_

_He chuckled and asked, **“Yep, and where’s the baby?”** Hina paused for a moment and then pointed to her mother. He chuckled once more, **“Is the baby in Mama’s tummy?”**_

**_"Tummy,"_ ** _Hina replied before she climbed off the chair, and raced over to where Lani laid and then pointed directly to her mother’s stomach. She then turned to the camera with an expectant look on her face._

 _He then spoke out in a cheery tone._ **_“That’s right, shark-bait, there’s the baby.”_ **

**_“Baby?”_ ** _Hina said still pointing. Maui continued holding the camera as he moved closer to her and lifted her up. Finally, he turned the camera around to face them._

_He turned to her and asked, **“So, big sister to be, you got anything to say?”**_

_Hinatea then lifted one finger and started waving it around in an ‘Oh no you don't’ manner’ and declared, **“Nappy is my nappy, you can’t have it!”**_

_Lani and Maui chuckled at the same time, and Lani assured her. **“Don’t worry, the baby has her own bed, Hina.”**_

**_“No nappy for baby?”_ ** _Hinatea asked._

 **_"No nappy for baby,"_ ** _Lani confirmed off screen after a couple of giggles. **“Are you happy now?”**_

 **_“Yeah!”_ ** _Hina replied as she pressed herself up against her father’s arm **.**_

****

The video then cut off to about eight hours later.

 

_Lani laid her head at an angle, with her eyes and lips tightly shut as her shaking hand tightly gripped the edge of the pillow. Soft groans and grimaces escaped her lips._

_The midwives and nurses had already prepared the forceps for precautionary measure._

_Maui then said **, “Here Uncle Kahua, take the camera.”** And soon he walked over by his wife’s side and gave her his hand. Lani grasped his hand and laid her head against his shoulder before she took a deep shaking breath. **"Oooooh…"** She groaned again and again before she let out a sharp cry, then her instincts took over and with the added encouragement of the staff, she started pushing._

_Kahua quickly zoomed in, trying to avoid the sensitive moments and focused primarily on Lani’s head, face and shoulders. She then let out several sharp cries followed as she then pushed once more._

_Soon, Kahua then slowly panned over to Maui to see his reaction and saw his eyes widen as Lani let out quick paced pained cries as she softly stated that she couldn’t do it for the second time._

**_“Hey, hey,”_ ** _Maui spoke out, **“You’re stronger than you know.”**_

_Lani slowly shook her head and whimpered, **“I can’t… I can’t…”**_

**_“Yes you can, yes you can.”_ ** _He said to her encouragingly, **“You did it once, you can do it again.”**_

_Lani then leaned forward and pushed, pushed, and pushed. A few minutes passed and a second set of cries filled the room. Kahua then zoomed out just in time to see the nurses lying a little baby on Lani’s chest, as they started all admiring the newborn._

_Lani then let out several tears of joy as she held their second child close to her. Maui slowly placed his two digits softly on the back of the baby's head and said after giving her a soft kiss on the lips. **“You did it, our little Tala’s here.”**_

****

The video had two quick cuts. The first one was of him cutting Tala’s cord with scissors, and the last cut switched to Hinatea.

 

_Hina looked up at the camera as she sat down on the chair, holding a newborn baby, swaddled in a white and pink blanket with a tiny pink cap on her little head, and then she looked down at her little sister before looking up at the camera with a bewildered look on her face. **“Baby?”**_

_Lani smiled as she spoke out to their eldest daughter, **“Hina this is your little sister Tala.”**_

_Hina paused and seemed fixated on something about Tala’s face. **“Button?”** Without any warning, Hina raised her little fingers up to Tala's nose and pushed it down really hard. Tala immediately started wailing from the sudden painful pressure. Maui quickly went over and gently lifted Tala off Hina’s arms and off-camera went back to give her back to Lani._

_Hina then turned to the camera with a confused look, before her lower lip started to quiver, her face scrunched up and small sobs slowly ensued before they developed to ear-piercing wails._

_Maui then came back to view and Hina lifted her arms to him. He chuckled as he picked her up and settled her into his arms. **“Hey, why’re you crying baby?”**_

_Hina then said in-between sobs, **“I don’t know… that’s _—_ not _—_ a-a-a _—_ b-button!” **_

_Maui simply chuckled and patted his crying daughter’s back as she buried her head against his short-sleeved light blue buttoned up shirt._

_Kahua then turned the camera toward an eight-year-old Hiapo and asked while trying to sound one of the boys, **“Heya dude, what do you think of your awesome new baby niece?”**_

_Hiapo immediately covered his face with his hands for a moment and told him. **“Dad, stop, you’re not cool okay?”** _

_Kahua simply laughed from behind the camera and asked again, **“You excited to have another niece, there Hi-hi?”**_

_A mortified Hiapo then scolded him. **“Dad! Stop!”** He then glared at his father as he started laughing. _

_Kahua then apologized sincerely, **“Okay, okay, sorry Hiapo, I was just having a little fun.”** He then asked, **"But how does it feel to have a baby niece again?"**_

_Hiapo gave him a confused look and pointed out, **“Ummmm, isn’t she my second cousin?”**_

_Kahua laughed once more and explained, **“We count by generations son, so you and Lani are from the same generation, therefore Hina and Tala are your nieces.”**_

_Hiapo blinked and said, **“I’m only eight.”**_

**_“Yeah?”_ ** _Kahua replied._

 **_"I'm only eight,"_ ** _Hiapo repeated with more emphasis to his young age._

****

**< III><III><III><III>**

****

****

**_Knock. Knock._ **

 

Maui paused the home movie and turned to face his front door. **_Knock. Knock._** He slowly stood up from the couch and cautiously made his way toward the door, where he could see a faint shape through the cotton blinds. He could tell immediately that it was a woman and rolled his eyes. Finally, he opened the door. “Moana, I thought I told you _—_ ”

“Hi to you too.” Aimata greeted.

Maui’s eyes widen and breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, Aimata it’s just you… I thought _—_ ”

She raised an eyebrow and told him, “I know exactly who you thought I was.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, “So? To what do I owe the pleasure for this _late night_ visit?”

Aimata opened her mouth and the sound of a car door opening echoed below them. She paused and turned to look behind her. Maui lifted his chin up and squinted his eyes for a moment to see who was coming up.

Seconds later he felt his chest growing tight, and the air leaving his lungs. A young woman with his late sister’s face was walking up the two-level stairs to his porch.

Aimata slowly turned her head back to face Maui and saw the pale look on his face.

Finally, Aroha made it all the way to the top of the porch.

Aroha swallowed the lump in her throat as she greeted, “Hello Uncle.”

 

Maui’s mouth hung open for a few minutes before the words then formed back into his head and came out of his mouth, “Are you…  _Aroha?_ ”

 

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

"Hey, you want anything to eat?" Maui asked as he immediately walked over to his fridge.

"No thank you, Uncle," Aroha replied as she stood by the archway, joining the kitchen and the living room. “We’re not staying long.”

Maui paused for a moment and slowly closed the fridge door. He then turned to her and Aimata with one eyebrow raised. “Okay…?”

Aimata then took a step forward, “Look, Maui.” She began, “We’re here to warn you _—_ ”

Aroha cut her off, “Uncle Nick’s loose and he’s off his head with drink.”

Maui doubled back slightly and then noticed the bruises on her cheek and arm. “What happened _—_ ”

Aroha let out a soft chuckle and said, “ ** _Oh_** _…_ well, y’know how fellas get when they’ve had too much p _—_ ”

Maui lifted his hand up as he instinctively switched into daddy mode, “ ** _Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!_** _Hold it._ ” He looked her in the eyes and said, “That is _no excuse_ for any man to lay his hands on a woman, _ever._ ” He paused for a moment and said, “And I’m not gonna have that type of attitude in _my_ house _. Period._ ” His security training kicked in and he had a sneaking suspicion, “Has he been staying with you?”

Aroha looked down as she reluctantly nodded. He took a deep breath and glanced over at Aimata, who appeared quite shocked to hear the news. She then turned to Maui and told her, “I’ll let her stay with me _—_ ”

“ _No._ ” Maui told her firmly, “Look, this is my business now _—_ she’s my part of my family _—_ ”

"Mine too, Maui," Aimata replied. “She became part of my family the very second you married Lani _—_ ”

He held his hands up in front of her and stated, “Okay, _that_ concept ended the day Lani died. Alright, _this_ is none of your business _—_ ”

Aroha looked up at both of them and said, “She’s right. Uncle Maui, she’s family too.”

 

Aimata then remembered Aroha was an adult now and let out a long sigh, “Well, you’re already twenty-one, so _you_ decide who you want to stay with?”

Aroha slowly switched her gaze from her to Maui and made a decision. "I think I'll stay here."

Aimata nodded and looked up at him, “Okay, now I gotta get back to work.”

Maui raised an eyebrow and pointed out, “I didn’t know they had nighttime school counselling.”

Aimata then told him with a playful snicker, “I have a part-time job too, y’know.” Before she headed out and closed the door behind her.

 

**< III><III><III><III>**

 

 

Aroha was surprised to feel the soft cotton blanket beneath her skin and admired the cooling material on her fingertips.

**_Knock. Knock._ **

She turned toward the door and called out, "C'min." Maui opened the door, carrying a pair of women's pajamas over his arm.

" ** _Ummm_** … here," He said sheepishly as he handed her the clothes, "I hope they fit."

Aroha gave him a soft smile and replied, "Thanks." Before she gently reached for them. Her eyes gazed over at the design and said, "They're pretty."

Maui had a proud smile on his face as he stated, "Yeah, my wife made them herself."

"She's so talented _—_ " She paused for a moment and corrected herself, "Sorry, I meant  _was._  She was so talented." Her head turned to look at him and saw the somber look on his face.

"Yeah… she was." He said in a sad whisper.

Aroha then put the clothes down and stood up. "Do ya wanna a hug?" He turned to her with a puzzled look on his face and she asked again, "Do you wanna a hug?"

He hesitated for a moment and then told her, "Okay, slow down there, you sure you want to hug somebody you just _—_ "

"We're from the same  _whakapapa_  aren't we?" Aroha reminded him, "That's a good enough reason for me."

His eyes shifted, the word then rang a sense of familiarity through his distance memories.  _Whakapapa—genealogy—family-tree._  They were from the same family tree… and that took priority over everything else.

Her voice then brought him back. "If you don't want one _—_ "

He cut her off and said, "A hug sounds good." He saw a smile forming on the corners of her lips as she walked over toward him as he opened his arm out to her.

She wrapped her arms around him and started rubbing comforting circles on his clothed back. "I'm sorry for yer loss, Uncle."

He patted her back and replied, "Thanks Aroha."

She looked up at him and said, "You can call 'Roha if you want? That's what everyone calls me."

"Nah," He replied as he slowly pulled his arm off her shoulders. "Aroha sounds  _way_ better." He paused for a moment and took one good look at her, and a sharp emotional pang struck his heart. "You look just like your aunt."

She smiled nervously, "So they say." Then added, "I wish I could've met them." She paused as she looked down for a moment and then asked, "What was Aunt Lani like?"

He took a deep slow breath and forced a smile, "She was pretty shy, soft-spoken and not very confident. When I first saw her." He stopped and gave himself a minute before he continued. "Over time, her confident side would pop out. But, she'd mistake  _that_  for arrogance."

Aroha then asked, "Why is that?"

"Her parents _—_ well, her mom would take her best qualities and twist it around so much that… her best qualities became her  _worst_ qualities."

Aroha gave her uncle a pitiful stare and said, "Was she a good mum?"

Maui turned to her with a proud smile on her face. "She was a  _great_  mom." He chuckled, "One of the greatest mothers I'd ever seen." His expression slowly turned somber as he sadly added, "She'd would've given up her life for our girls."

"If you don't mind me asking?" She began, "How did she pass on?"

Maui took a deep shaking breath as he bit the corner of his lower lip, and closed his eyes to take another deep breath as he said with tears filling the corners of his eyes. "She died saving someone else's little boy from drowning in the sea, during a bad storm."

Aroha put her hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to _—_ "

He immediately shook his head and tried to pull himself together as he told her firmly, " _No._  I want you _—_ I want the world to know what a  _great_  woman she was." He took a quick breath and continued on, "She was  _technically_  already gone by the time they'd rescued her…"

She heard the emphasis in his voice, it was clear he was trying to wash clean of whatever guilt he had lingering his heart as he continued, "But the doctors tried anyway, and she spent seven days lying in hospital brain dead _—_ basically she became a vegetable… and at the end of the day, I made the decision to have them pull the plug."

He closed his eyes and his voice carried on the heavy weight of the whole world as he told her, " _I gave up on her…_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **List of terminologies:**  
>  Tūtaki tōku irāmutu, Aroha: Meet my niece, Aroha. (This might be grammatically incorrect, but I tried with what I've learned about te reo Maori guys)  
> Muumuu: A Hawaiian dress.  
> Kei te pēhea koe? : How are you? Koe= "You" (when speaking to only one person)  
> Mīti: The Maori word for meat.  
> Aohe pilipili aina mai: A Hawaiian proverb that translates to: No where's near land.  
> Pākehā: The Maori word for European.

**Author's Note:**

>  **List of terminologies:**  
>  Kumu: The Hawaiian word for teacher.  
> Halau: School.  
> Manuia fa’afetai: A Samoan phrase which translates to, "Fine, thanks."  
> Ha’ina ho’i: A chant that is occasionally used to end a hula.  
> Huli: A Hula movement.  
> Aia i ka mole kamalii: A Hawaiian proverb which translates to, "Children always begin at the foundation."  
> Ho’i Hou Ke Aloha: Hawaiian for, "Let us fall in love all over again."  
>  
> 
> Once again, sorry if any of the characters are OOC, and if the story seems rather... forced at times, but as I said above this is the first time I've ever written anything like this, so I do apologize if the story's well... _not great?_  
>  :/


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